Witnesses recount Tel Aviv terror

Eyewitnesses have been describing their shock after a Palestinian suicide bomber blew himself up at a busy restaurant in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv.

At least nine people were killed - including the bomber - and 50 people injured in the attack on a busy street near a bus station in the Neve Shaanan area.

A security guard posted outside the restaurant, which was also the target of a suicide bombing last January, prevented the bomber from entering the building, police said.

"I saw a young guy who was carrying a blue bag. He was stopped by a security guard who asked what was in the bag.

"He opened the bag and everything went up in the air," Moussa al-Zedad told Reuters Television at the scene.

"I am beyond despair - I heard a deafening blast and I knew it was another attack"
Eyewitness Asher Bracha

Another eyewitness, Sonya Levy, 62, said she had just finished shopping when she heard the blast.

"I was about to get into my car, and boom, there was an explosion. A bit of human flesh landed on my car and I started to scream," she said.

She said her car was about 50 metres (55 yards) from the explosion and its windshield was smeared with blood.

'Children screaming'

Israel Yaakov saw a woman, who was standing near her husband and children, killed in the attack.

"The father was traumatised, he went into shock. He ran to the children to gather them up.

"The children were screaming: 'Mom! Mom!'. She wasn't answering, she was dead already. It is a shocking scene," Mr Yaakov said.

The owner of a small market two doors from the shop that was targeted said: "I am beyond despair."

Asher Bracha, 46, said: "I heard a deafening blast. I knew it was another attack."