British sisters, 20 and 15, shot dead in West Bank drive-by ‘terror attack’ as their mum fights for life in hospital
A BRITISH mum whose daughters were gunned down in what is thought to have been a terror attack is fighting for her life.
Sisters Maya and Rina Dee were killed when their family car was riddled with 22 Kalashnikov bullets in an ambush in Israel's West Bank on Friday.
Their mum Lucy Dee, 48, remains in a critical condition in hospital following the attack.
British family members were understood to tonight be en route to comfort the slain sisters’ father Leo.
It is understood Maya and Rina, who were 20 and 15, will be farewelled in coming days.
The sisters died at the scene after their car was ambushed by gunmen and crashed before being rammed by another vehicle in the West Bank.
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A huge police manhunt was still ongoing this evening after the horror near the Hamra settlement, about 30 miles north of Jerusalem.
It is understood the family moved from London to Israel in 2005.
They settled in Efrat, near the Palestinian city of Bethlehem, but retained strong British connections.
The attack was believed to be a cowardly and indiscriminate revenge strike launched as tensions spiralled following police raids on the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
Gunmen are believed to have targeted the car simply because it bore Israeli registration plates.
The girl's father Leo had been in a car behind his wife and daughters, and is understood to have escaped injury.
No group has claimed responsibility so far, but a Hamas spokesman hailed the attack as "retaliation for the crimes committed by Israel”.
Roadblocks were set up today as a huge manhunt was launched to hunt down the attackers.
"Some people think that a religious government will suppress minority rights and become totalitarian.
"But this is not a risk in Israel as religious Jews simply believe in balancing love and justice.
"For our part, we have felt a warm hug of love from Jews in Israel and beyond and we are confident that justice will be done."
A foreign office spokeswoman said: "We are saddened to hear about the deaths of two British-Israeli citizens and the serious injuries sustained by a third individual.
“The UK calls for all parties across the region to de-escalate tensions.”
Leo - who attended university in the UK - was said to be driving ahead of his Lucy and their daughters when he realised there had been an altercation behind him.
He drove back to the scene fearing his family had been involved in a traffic accident then realised the car had come under fire.
Police later reported the vehicle in which the British family was travelling had been riddled with a volley of 22 Kalashnikov assault rifle bullets, leaving blood spattered on the windscreen.
Doctors this evening said mum Lucy suffered bullet wounds to her upper body and confirmed she remained “critical”.
The Israel Defense Force said the shooting was a terror attack and said surveillance camera footage showed the terrorists driving up to the victims’ car.
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A gunman opened fire from the passenger seat before his accomplice made a U-turn on the highway and fled the scene.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted pictures of the two sisters last night and pledged revenge.