Palestinian gunmen sprayed bullets through a cluster of mobile homes as the Jewish settlers inside were sleeping yesterday, killing three people including a pregnant woman and her husband, officials said.
One Palestinian attacker was killed and a second escaped. Israeli troops in armored vehicles entered a nearby Palestinian town, imposing a curfew, as helicopters searched the area.
In the Gaza Strip, three Palestinians were killed in two attempted attacks, including one armed man who was swimming along the Mediterranean coast toward a Jewish settlement, the army said.
The violence came as Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon prepared to leave for Washington, where he will meet with US President George W. Bush tomorrow.
Yesterday's attack on Karmei Tsur, a settlement of about 100 Jewish families in the southern West Bank, began sometime after 2am, officials said.
Two gunmen opened fire on a cluster of about 15 mobile homes that are separated from the settlement. A barbed-wired perimeter fence partially protects the mobile homes, but does not completely surround them.
A settlement security guard killed one of the gunmen at the door to one of the trailers, the army said. The attacker was holding a grenade. Armored vehicles entered the nearby town of Halhoul in search of the second assailant, but did not find him.
After daybreak, reporters could see soldiers carrying a stretcher with a body wrapped in a white blanket. Another body, covered by a red blanket, remained at the scene. The door of one trailer was punctured with bullets and blood was smeared on the wall nearby. Two trailers were cordoned off by police.
Settlement spokeswoman Esty Uliel barred reporters from speaking to residents, citing the sanctity of the Jewish Sabbath.
The trailers are for newcomers waiting for permanent housing.
RSS