Israel kills three in West Bank raids: Medics

Nablus (West Bank), May 30: Israeli troops killed three Palestinian militants in separate pre-dawn raids across the occupied West Bank today, witnesses and medics said.

In Nablus a wanted militant was killed and another was wounded during a raid by Israeli soldiers into the Balata refugee camp, medics said.

In the northern West Bank village of Qabatia, an Israeli undercover unit exchanged fire with a group of gunmen, killing a member of Islamic Jihad and wounding three other militants, witnesses said.

An Israeli army spokeswoman confirmed the two operations, saying troops reported shooting three gunmen during clashes.

In Anabta, close to the central West Bank town of Tulkarm troops shot dead a wanted militant in an olive grove, witnesses said. They said three bystanders were wounded in the crossfire.

The Israeli army had no immediate comment on the incident.

The fatalities were the latest in a string of Palestinian deaths after Israeli troops killed five militants in two separate incidents yesterday.

Late last night, Israeli troops killed four Palestinian militants in a gunbattle in the Gaza Strip as they attempted to launch makeshift rockets into Israel. The clash was followed by an Israeli helicopter missile strike, witnesses said.

The Israeli army said troops had clashed with Palestinian militants inside the Gaza Strip for the first time since withdrawing from the territory in August after 28 years of occupation.

REUTERS

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