Ten Palestinians have been killed and more than 90 injured during an Israeli military raid in the West Bank city of Nablus.
Heavy gun battles were reported in the city on Wednesday morning. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed the operation but has not given further details.
Israeli media reported that the soldiers surrounded the house of suspected Lions Den militants and demanded they surrender, but a gunfight followed.
One of the dead is said to have been the leader of Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Nablus, another is thought to have been responsible for the killing of an Israeli soldier last October.
The Palestinian Health Ministry says a 72-year-old civilian was also among the dead.
Dozens of those injured are believed to have suffered from tear gas used to try to control crowds.
In response, Hamas, the militant group which controls the Gaza Strip, said that “the resistance forces in the Gaza Strip are monitoring the crimes of the enemy and their patience is running out”.
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The ruling Palestinian Authority has condemned the raid.
The security situation in Jerusalem and The West Bank has been rapidly deteriorating despite attempts by the international community for calm.
Last month nine Palestinians were killed when Israeli forces raided another West Bank city, Jenin, which has been the focus of Israeli counter-terror operations.
A few days later seven Israeli’s were killed in a terror attack at the end of Friday prayers in east Jerusalem, the worst terror attack in Israel for many years.
