Palestinian fighters opened fire near the West Bank settlement of Beka'ot before dawn Thursday, killing two Israeli soldiers and wounding at least seven, Israel Radio reported.
Two Palestinians were killed and troops were searching the area for a third, Army Radio reported Thursday morning. The attack began about 05:15 (02:15GMT) and lasted about 20 minutes.
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades claimed responsibility for this attack. The Palestinians who carried out the joint operation were from the city of Nablus.
Later Thursday, Palestinian witnesses said that Israeli undercover police officers had entered the center of Tulkarem, and that one armed Palestinian was killed in exchanges of gunfire.
In the Gaza Strip, Israeli helicopter gunships fired on Thursday missiles at a car, killing one person and injuring several others.
The car, a white Subaru, was hit in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood. The Islamic Jihad group said the missiles hit a car carrying several of its activists, and one official identified the man killed as Mahmoud Zatme, 30, the leader of the group's military wing.
On Wednesday, at least five Palestinians were killed in clashes in the Gaza Strip.
In the West Bank, Israeli troops late Wednesday night demolished the Ramallah-area home of Hamas activist Abdallah Jamal Barghouti, who was arrested about a month ago. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
