Israeli forces shot dead Palestinian suspected of deadly attack

Israeli security forces stand guard at the site of an attack which took place outside the settlement of Ariel, in the northern West Bank city of Salfit, March 17, 2019. A Palestinian killed an Israeli and severely injured two others in shooting and stabbing attacks before fleeing the scene on Sunday, Israeli army said. (Xinhua/Nidal Eshtayeh)

A Palestinian suspected of killing two Israelis was shot dead by Israeli forces in a crossfire on Tuesday night, two days after a manhunt, the army said.

Omar Amin Abu Laila, who carried out a deadly shooting and stabbing attack on Sunday, was tracked down in a house in the West Bank village of Abwein near Ramallah city, according to Palestinian media reports.

A short army notice said "the terrorist was tracked down and killed in fire exchanges with the Israel security forces."

Israel's Shin Bet security agency said in a statement that intelligence tips led the forces to the building where Abu Laila holed up.

"As the special forces were closing in on the building, the terrorist opened fire but was killed during an exchange of fire," the statement read, adding no Israeli troops were injured.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commended the Shin Bet and army for finding the attacker, saying "Israel's long hand reaches anyone who harms our civilians and soldiers."

On Sunday, Abu Laila, 19, stabbed a soldier and took his assault rifle before a shooting spree outside the settlement of Ariel, according to the army.

He killed a 19-year-old Israeli soldier and a 47-year-old father, who was a resident of the settlement of Eli. Another soldier was seriously injured.