A force of IDF troops killed a senior Islamic Jihad commander early Monday in the course of a broad IDF operation in Balata refugee camp near the West Bank city of Nablus.
The Jihad man was identified as Amjad Abu Shayih, a top commander in the organization's military wing.
An IDF spokesman said troops searching for militants in the area identified several gunmen and shot at them, hitting at least one.
A second wanted Palestinian was wounded in the incident, and seven fugitives were arrested.
Among the arrested was Ahmed Arisha, an Islamic Jihad commander from Nablus. Arisha is allegedly responsible for planning a number of terror attacks against targets in Israel and the West Bank.
The incident comes one day after Israeli troops killed four Palestinians in clashes in the Gaza Strip and West Bank.
In the Balata operation on Sunday, IDF troops killed two Palestinians.
Large IDF forces had entered the camp in search of wanted militants and illegal arms.
The troops encountered intermittent gunfire and several bombs were hurled at army patrols, but no injuries were reported. Exchanges of fire were still taking place Sunday afternoon.
A Nablus hospital identified the two casualties Sunday as Ibrahim Sheikh and Mohammed Natur, both 17. According to the IDF, the two were killed while placing explosive devices. A military source also said that one of the youths was a member of Fatah.
IDF soldiers operating in the Old City of Nablus shot and killed a senior member of Islamic Jihad, Palestinians said. The army had no immediate comment.
Military sources said the operation targeted terror networks engaged in perpetrating suicide attacks in Israel by members of Islamic Jihad, Fatah and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
Earlier Sunday, the Israel Air Force killed two Palestinians near the Gaza Strip border.
Military sources said an aircraft fired at Palestinians suspected of planting bombs south of the Kissufim border crossing.
Palestinian residents said the two dead men were members of the Popular Resistance Committees militant group.
In the northern West Bank, IDF troops arrested a Palestinian boy at the Salem checkpoint, near the city of Jenin, after two knives were found on his person.
He was taken in for questioning and the knives were confiscated.
Earlier Sunday, Palestinians reported that two Palestinian men were injured in a clash with IDF troops in Nablus late Saturday night.
During the incident an explosive device was thrown at the troops and shots were fired at them. The IDF said there were no Israeli casualties, and that soldiers fired back at the gunmen.
