Palestinian physician among two killed in Israeli West Bank raid

Two Palestinians including a physician were killed Friday in an Israeli raid in the flashpoint city of Jenin in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said.

Dr Abdullah al-Ahmad "succumbed to a bullet wound that pierced his head, fired by the occupation (Israeli) soldiers", the ministry said in a statement.

A ministry spokesman told AFP that Palestinian Mateen Debaya had also been killed in the raid on the city's refugee camp, while militant group Hamas named Debaya as a "fighter".

The ministry said Ahmad was shot outside a governmental hospital, located on the edge of the camp.

An AFP journalist said the doctor had undergone emergency surgery at the facility following the shooting.

The Israeli military said "explosive devices and a massive number of shots were fired from armed suspects at the security forces."

"The forces responded with aimed live fire towards the armed suspects. Hits were identified," an army statement said.

The military did not immediately comment on the doctor's death when contacted by AFP.

Three suspects were detained including an alleged Hamas member who the army said was suspected of carrying out attacks against Israeli forces.

Hamas on Friday called on "our resistance... to continue their steadfastness and their heroism with all means".

Israel has occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank since the 1967 Six-Day War.

Dozens of Palestinians have been killed in recent months during near daily Israeli raids across the West Bank.

Two Palestinian teenagers were shot dead Saturday during a raid in Jenin, while a 12-year-old boy died Monday from wounds sustained last month, according to a health ministry toll.

The expansion of military operations in Jenin and elsewhere in the West Bank followed deadly attacks on Israelis earlier this year.

Israeli forces are currently hunting for attackers who shot dead two soldiers in separate incidents over the past week.

One soldier was killed Tuesday near Nablus, south of Jenin, while on Saturday another was shot at a checkpoint in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem.

The pursuit for the Jerusalem gunman has prompted a massive operation inside the city's Shuafat refugee camp, which has severely impeded daily life.

Palestinians went on a day-long general strike earlier this week in the city, in solidarity with Shuafat residents.

There have also been clashes involving Palestinians, Israeli forces and citizens across east Jerusalem.

Washington said Wednesday there had been an "alarming increase in Palestinian and Israeli deaths and injuries, including numerous children".

State department spokesman Ned Price called on both the sides to "take urgent action to prevent even greater loss of life".