A pregnant Israeli woman was shot dead by a Palestinian gunman on the way to deliver her baby.

The Israeli military has launched a manhunt for the attacker, who opened fire on vehicles outside the Israeli Bruchin Settlement, south west of Nablus in the occupied West Bank, on Wednesday night.

Tzeela Gez, 30, already a mother of three, was rushed to hospital near Tel Aviv following the shooting, where doctors performed an emergency caesarean section.

She died but the baby survived and is said to be in a serious condition. The victim’s husband, Hananel, who was driving the car, was lightly wounded.

Some Israeli politicians called for the assailant’s village to be flattened in response.

The military dispatched troops and a drone to the area and has reportedly encircled and blocked entrances to the nearby Palestinian town of Bruqin.