Two Palestinian civilians have been killed by the Israeli Army as the region braces itself for the anticipated retaliation by the Israeli Army following last night's ambush by Islamic Jihad on a group of Israeli soldiers and the settlers they were escorting.Nine soldiers and police were killed in the attack. Three Israeli settlers and three Palestinians also died.
A Palestinian woman was killed inside her house this morning when an Israeli tank opened fire with heavy machine guns in the northern West Bank city of Nablus. Samar Sharaab, 21, died instantly after being hit in the neck.
In the Gaza Strip, a 10-year-old Palestinian boy was very seriously injured by shells fired from a tank as he was playing on his house's front porch in the Rafah refugee camp at the Egyptian border.
Earlier today, a Palestinian teenager was shot dead when Israeli troops stormed into the West Bank city of Jenin and its neighbouring refugee camp.
Ibrahim Saaadi, 18, was killed shortly after some 10 Israeli tanks and military vehicles entered the town and camp.
He was the son of Basaam Saadi, the leader of Islamic Jihad in the Jenin area, a spokesman said, adding that clashes were continuing in the camp and the city.
Today's violence comes in the wake of an attack last night when gunmen opened fire on a group of settlers and Israeli Army soldiers who were escorting them.
Three settlers, five border police and four soldiers were killed in the attack. Three Palestinian gunmen were also killed.
A nearby army post and solders who rushed to the scene were also caught in the ambush.
Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack it said was in retaliation for the killing by the Israelis of one of its members last week.
Agencies