Feb

2012

7:58am, EST

Ahmad Gharabli / AFP - Getty Images

Israeli firefighters gather at the site of a crash between a truck and a school bus transporting Palestinian children between Jerusalem and the West Bank city of Ramallah on Feb. 16, 2012. At least eight Palestinian children from east Jerusalem were killed when their school bus was hit by a truck on a road in the West Bank, Israeli police said.

Palestinian children die in West Bank bus crash

The Associated Press reports from JERUSALEM — Israeli police say at least eight Palestinian schoolchildren died in a bus crash in the West Bank.

The children were killed when a truck careened into their schoolbus on Thursday morning. The bus overturned and caught fire.

Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld says the children were taken to Israeli and Palestinian hospitals and that at least eight died. Palestinian police say the death toll was 10.

There were no signs of foul play. The truck driver was said to be an Arab Israeli citizen who may have lost control in heavy rains and slick roads.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas declared three days of mourning and ordered flags flown at half staff. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also expressed sorrow. Click here for the latest on this story.