2 Palestinians killed by Israeli soldiers in West Bank

Two Palestinians were killed and 14 others injured on Thursday during clashes with Israeli soldiers in the northern West Bank city of Jenin, reported Xinhua, quoting medics and eyewitnesses.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said that Yazeed al-Sa'di, 27, and Sanad Abu Atteya, 17, were killed by Israeli soldiers, and 14 others were injured, including three in critical condition.

The ministry did not provide further details about the incident.

Meanwhile, the official Palestinian news agency (WAFA) reported that a special Israeli army force stormed the city and an adjacent refugee camp early on Thursday, adding that fierce clashes broke out between dozens of young men and the soldiers.

Eyewitnesses said that an exchange of fire took place between Palestinian gunmen and Israeli soldiers, and the Israeli army arrested two Palestinians in the town of Ya'bad near the city of Jenin.

The Palestinian factions, including Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah Movement, declared a general strike in Jenin district in protest against the killing of the two men.

Meanwhile, an Israeli army spokesman said in a statement that an Israeli army force was carrying out a security operation to arrest the wanted in Jenin, adding that the force came under fire, and it responded to the gunmen and wounded them.

In reaction to the killing of two Palestinians, the Secretary-General of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) Movement Ziad al-Nakhala condemned the Israeli army force's attack on Jenin.

"We declare general mobilization of the al-Quds Brigades (the military wing of PIJ) in all their locations," he said in a brief statement.

Tension in Jenin comes for the second day in a row after a Palestinian gunman carried out a shooting attack that killed five Israelis in Tel Aviv on Tuesday night.