The armed wing of Hamas said Tuesday it was responsible for the killing of four Israelis in the West Bank just days before the start of direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
The four, two men and two women, one of whom was pregnant, were shot dead on Tuesday between the settlement of Kyriat Arba and the Palestinian village of Bani Naim, not far from the city of Hebron.
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are due to start peace talks in Washington on Thursday, their first direct negotiations in almost two years.
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak called the attack an attempt to undermine negotiations.
"It is an evident attempt by terrorists to sabotage efforts aimed at resuming the diplomatic process, and frustrate chances for the start of talks in Washington," he said.
Hamas said it was "a response to the crimes of the occupation".
The West Bank and East Jerusalem have both been occupied by Israel since the 1967 Arab-Israeli War.
The Ynet news portal quoted a source close to Netanyahu as saying that despite the killing, talks with Palestinians will be held as planned.
TEL AVIV, September 1 (RIA Novosti)
