The two British-Israeli sisters killed in a gun attack in the occupied West Bank on Friday have been named as Rina and Maia Dee.
Rina, 15, and Maia, 20, who were born in London, were identified on Twitter by the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
Their mother, Lucianne, 45, was critically injured after their car veered off the road when gunmen opened fire while overtaking their vehicle in the Jordan valley.
She remains in intensive care in Jerusalem after being evacuated by helicopter to hospital.
Their father was reported to be Rabbi Leo Dee, who served in synagogues in Hendon, north London and Radlett in Hertfordshire before the family moved to Israel eight years ago. He was travelling in a separate car and came across the scene as emergency services arrived.
The funeral for the victims is due to be held on Sunday in the Efrat settlement, the Sunday Times reported.
The attack, by Palestinian assailants, came after Israel launched retaliatory airstrikes on Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.
Tensions have been heightened by days of fighting at Jerusalem’s most holy site during the rare convergence of Ramadan, Passover and Easter.
Naming the sisters for the first time, Netanyahu said: “On behalf of all the citizens of Israel, I send my condolences to the Dee family from Efrat for the murder of the two wonderful sisters.
“In these moments, if the family is fighting for its life, and together with the entire nation of Israel, I pray for its safety, and we all send our condolences and strength to this dear family in this moment of great sorrow.”
The family lived in the Efrat settlement, near the Palestinian city of Bethlehem, according to the settlement’s mayor, Oded Revivi.
In a statement released to the Telegraph, the girls’ father said the family was “saddened” by the current political situation in Israel.
He added: “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.”
On the same day, an Italian tourist, Alessandro Parini, 36, was killed and five other Italian and British citizens were wounded when a car rammed a group in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv.
The UK foreign secretary, James Cleverly, held a call on Saturday with his Israeli counterpart, Eli Cohen, to discuss the “appalling” attacks.
The UK’s Middle East minister, Lord Ahmad, said: “I condemn yesterday’s attacks in the West Bank, killing two British-Israeli nationals and injuring one other, and in Tel Aviv where an Italian national was killed and British nationals were injured.”
The shadow foreign secretary, David Lammy, said: “I am shocked by reports of the killing of two British sisters in an appalling and cowardly attack in the West Bank.
“My thoughts are with their family and loved ones. More civilian victims of this cycle of violence show the urgent need for diplomatic efforts to de-escalate.”
• This article was amended on 9 April 2023 to correct the translation into English of Benjamin Netanyahu’s message of condolence to the Dee family.
