WEST BANK – Israeli soldiers have shot and killed at least two Palestinians in a gun battle in the occupied West Bank, a Palestinian security source says.

The source said an 18-year-old member of Islamic Jihad was killed and several other people wounded in the gun battle with Israeli forces early on Tuesday.

Palestinian officials also told Reuters that a civilian had also been killed during the Israeli incursion into the town of Jenin and surrounding villages in the West Bank.

An Israeli army spokesman said soldiers had shot an armed man in the village of Qabatiya, near the West Bank city of Jenin, after gunmen opened fire and threw explosive devices at troops. Medics named the dead man as Mohamad Zakarneh.

An army spokesman said: "Forces identified two armed men and opened fire on them. One of  them was hit."

Soldiers also arrested seven Palestinians in raids throughout the West Bank, a military statement said.

The Israeli army says it is looking into reports that a second Palestinian had also been killed.

An Aljazeera television correspondent reported that more than 50 military vehicles had raided the town to arrest suspects.

The violence came as Israel stepped up military action against Palestinians firing rockets at Israeli towns from the Gaza Strip.

A series of Israeli raids on the Gaza Strip have killed 21 Palestinian, mostly armed fighters, since Thursday.

-Aljazeera + Agencies