Three Israeli suspects in the murder of a Palestinian teenager abducted and burned to death last week confessed to the crime yesterday.

The suspects, all from the Jerusalem area, have not been identified and remained in custody.

“Three out of six suspects in custody have confessed to the murder and burning of Mohammed Abu Khdeir and performed a re-enactment of the crime,” said an unnamed security official.

Palestinians say that the boy’s death was a revenge killing in response to the abductions and killings of three Israeli teenagers over a fortnight earlier.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned the murder and called for calm.

A statement from his office said that the PM had phoned Mohammed’s father Hussein Abu Khdeir yesterday, saying: “I would like to express my outrage and that of the citizens of Israel over the reprehensible murder of your son.

“We acted immediately to apprehend the murderers. We will bring them to trial and they will be dealt with to the fullest extent of the law.

“We denounce all brutal behaviour. The murder of your son is abhorrent and cannot be countenanced by any human being.”

Asked about this, Mr Abu Khdeir said: “Maybe he called, I don’t know. Tons of people called me this morning to apologise for what happened to my son.

“Some of them were crying. But I don’t know if Netanyahu was one of them.”

Hamas swore vengeance against Israel yesterday after an air strike killed seven members of its military wing.