Bomb rocks Israeli shopping mall

At least four people, including a suspected suicide bomber, were killed in an explosion at a shopping mall in the northern Israeli city of Afula today, Army radio said.

It said at least 15 people were also hurt in the blast, which followed a series of suicide attacks that have dimmed hopes that a new US-backed peace plan will end the bloodshed.

Israeli radio stations said police suspected the blast was a suicide attack carried out by a woman.

If confirmed as a suicide bombing, the blast will be the third attack in two days.

A Palestinian suicide bomber with 10 to 20 kg of explosives packed on the back of his bicycle blew up near an army jeep in the Gaza Strip earlier today, killing himself and slightly wounding three soldiers, the Israeli area commander said.

That bombing near the Jewish settlement of Kfar Darom came a day after a militant disguised as a religious Jew blew himself up on a Jerusalem bus, killing seven.