Gunman targets Israeli kibbutz

A gunman has killed five people, after entering a kibbutz in northern Israel, close to the border with the West Bank, late on Sunday.

There was shooting for close to 10 minutes then the security forces arrived

Security forces could not immediately locate the gunman, and they feared he might be hiding in a house on the kibbutz.

"Israelis in their own homes were brutally targeted by Palestinians terrorists," said David Baker, an official in the prime minister's office, after Sunday night's attack.

Early on Monday, Israeli military helicopters were in action over Gaza City, firing at least eight rockets at a large metal workshop.

The building, where cars are repaired, was set on fire, was believed to be emptied when the attack began at 0200 (0000GMT).

Withdrawal

Two of the victims at Kibbutz Metzer were shot dead in the communal dining hall.

Police say two men detonated the car when challenged.

The other three were shot elsewhere in the collective, and there were reports that other residents were wounded.

"There was shooting for close to 10 minutes then the security forces arrived and we're shut inside the houses," one resident at Kibbutz Metzer told Israel radio.

The search for the gunman is continuing, with flares being used to light up the area and a helicopter brought in.
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