A suicide bomber killed two Israeli women and wounded some 30 others at a shopping mall in the Israeli coastal city of Netanya late Tuesday, police said.

The attack took place at around 6:30 pm (1530 GMT) at the entrance to the Hasharon shopping mall which was crowded with shoppers at the time.

Reuters news agency reported that the Islamic Jihad (Holy War) claimed responsibility for the attack in a telephone call to the agency's office in the West Bank city of Tulkarm.

Two Israelis and the suicide bomber were killed and 30 others injured, some in serious condition. Ambulances and rescue teams have rushed to the scene and taken the wounded to nearby hospitals.

Israeli police said that the bomber had apparently been wearing an explosive belt and that there had been no warning of a potential attack.

The bomber had reportedly tried to enter the mall, but then decided to blow himself up near the entrance where a dozen of teenagers queuing for the routine security check.

Netanya Mayor Miriam Feinberg told Israel Radio that she witnessed the attack.

"I was at junction... I saw the attack in front of my eyes," she told the radio, adding that she was on her way to attend the Maccabiah Games in the city.

The mayor said that the city intended to continue with its planned events, Israel Radio reported.

In response to the bombing, Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz canceled a meeting initially set for later Tuesday to discuss this summer's Gaza withdrawal with a Palestinian cabinet minister and a US envoy.

Instead, Mofaz convened army commanders.

Meanwhile, sources at Israeli Prime Minister's office said Israel will retaliate for the suicide attack.

The Palestinian National Authority condemned the bombing attack, saying it was designed to derail Israel's planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip due to begin next month.

It was the first suicide attack in Israel after an Islamic Jihad member carried out a similar attack outside a night club in Tel Aviv on Feb. 25, killing five Israelis.

However, the group said in a statement after Tuesday's attack that it remained committed to the current ceasefire reached in March.

Islamic Jihad has said that despite the truce, it reserves the right to retaliate for what it perceives as Israeli violations, such as arrests of Islamic Jihad members.

Netanya lies some 15 km away from the West Bank and has been a target of suicide attack in the past.

On May 18, 2001, a suicide bomber blew himself up at the mall, killing five Israelis.

About 40 minutes before the Netanya bombing, Israeli West Bank police foiled an attempted car bomb attack on the Shavei Shomron settlement, close to the Palestinian city of Nablus.

No Israelis were injured in the attack. The Palestinian driver was moderately wounded. Islamic Jihad also claimed responsibility for the attack.

Bent on the destruction of Israel, the Islamic Jihad has been active recently in the occupied Palestinian territories where Israel is expected to withdraw from Gaza and part of the West Bank next month.

Source: Xinhua