Seven dead in Jerusalem synagogue shooting

Israeli police described it as a "terror attack" and said it took place in a synagogue in Neve Ya'akov, considered by Israelis as a neighbourhood within Jerusalem while Palestinians and most of the international community consider it occupied land illegally annexed after a 1967 Middle East war.

The incident comes a day after the deadliest raid in the West Bank in years, and falls on the Jewish Sabbath.

In Gaza, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem told Reuters: "This operation is a response to the crime conducted by the occupation in Jenin and a natural response to the occupation's criminal actions," although he stopped short of claiming the attack.

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad also praised but did not claim the attack.