JENIN: Israeli forces killed a Palestinian gunman and captured another in a clash in the occupied West Bank on Thursday, saying they were part of an Islamist Hamas cell responsible for an ambush in which a Jewish settler was shot dead.

Two Israeli police commandos were wounded in the raid in the city of Jenin, a spokesman said. Such flare-ups have been rare in the West Bank, where Palestinian security forces last year resumed cooperation with Israel despite the stalling of negotiations on statehood.

Palestinian officials said they had received conflicting information from Israel about the identity of the dead gunman. Another three Palestinians were wounded in the raid, they said.

Witnesses said the Israeli forces had bulldozed at least one building, and that it was possible another gunman was buried under the rubble.

Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman said the Palestinians targeted in Jenin belonged to a Hamas cell that killed Rabbi Raziel Shevah, a West Bank settler, in a drive-by shooting on Jan 9 and attempted a previous attack.

“It is not entirely clear” if all members of the cell had been killed or captured, Lieberman told the Walla news site.

Tensions in the region have risen since US President Donald Trump’s announcement on Dec 6 recognising disputed Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, and at least 18 Palestinians and one Israeli have been killed since.

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2018