srael kills three in West Bank raids - residents

JENIN, West Bank, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Israeli soldiers killed three Palestinians in raids against militants in the occupied West Bank today, local residents said.

Two men were shot dead in al-Fara refugee camp, near the city of Jenin. Residents said the men were civilians and one had been throwing rocks at troops.

In the village of Yamoun, west of Jenin, soldiers killed a man who had climbed on to the roof of his home to watch the Israeli troops, residents said.

An Israeli army spokesman said troops in al-Fara shot two Palestinians, one of whom was carrying a gun while the other had an axe. They were in a group of people moving towards the troops in a threatening manner, said the spokesman.

He said the gunman was killed and the other man was wounded in the leg and taken to an Israeli hospital for treatment.

In Yamoun, soldiers fired at several gunmen and hit at least two of them, the spokesman said.

The Israeli army carries out frequent raids against militants in the West Bank. The Jenin area is a militant stronghold.

In the northern Gaza Strip, local residents said unidentified gunmen kidnapped a man and wounded his wife, an Israeli Arab, in a shooting incident.

The motive for the incident was unclear.

Residents identified the man as Reyadh al-Louh, a Palestinian who holds an Israeli identity card. Hospital staff in Gaza City said Louh's wife was in a serious condition.

Local residents say the couple were visiting family in the coastal territory during the Eid al-Fitr holiday.

REUTERS PB VC2200