Jerusalem clashes erupt as second Israeli dies after van driver attack

At least 30 Palestinian youths were injured Friday in clashes in East Jerusalem, Palestinian medics said, as security was stepped up across the city amid concern that heightened tensions could flare into new violence, CNN reported.

The latest clashes came hours after hospital officials confirmed that a second Israeli had died from injuries suffered when a Palestinian drove a van into pedestrians at a rail station in eastern Jerusalem on Wednesday.

Friday's unrest broke out in the Shuafat Palestinian refugee camp in East Jerusalem, where the van driver lived, as well as in other neighborhoods, sources said.

Smoke rose in the camp as Palestinian youths threw rocks, set off firecrackers and set tires afire, while Israeli security forces responded with rubber bullets, stun grenades and tear gas.

Palestinian medical sources said they had treated injuries caused by rubber bullets hitting the head and body, as well as many cases of tear gas inhalation.

Fierce clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinian youths erupted in the same area Wednesday after news that the Palestinian van driver had been shot dead by police.

He was identified by Israeli authorities as a member of the Islamist Hamas movement, Israeli police spokeswoman Luba Samri said.

A representative for Jerusalem's Hadassah Medical Center did not give details about the second van attack victim. But the Times of Israel said he was a 17-year-old student who had suffered serious head injuries. An Israeli border police officer also died and 12 other people were injured in the attack.

No motive for the attack was immediately released, but Hamas supported the hitting of the Jerusalem pedestrians in a text message to the news media: "Hamas blesses the action. What is happening in Jerusalem is pushing us to prepare for war."

Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld called the incident "a terrorist attack."