Israeli army kills two young Palestinians in occupied West Bank: ministry

Two Palestinians have been killed during an Israeli army raid in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said.

The two young men were shot dead on Saturday by Israeli forces "during an assault on the village of Jaba, south of Jenin" in the north of the occupied West Bank, the ministry said.

No further details were provided on the circumstances surrounding their deaths.

The Israeli army said in a brief statement that it had launched "counterterrorism activity" near the village, during which "suspects shot live fire" at them from a passing vehicle.

"The soldiers responded with live fire. Hits were identified," it said, adding that no Israeli soldiers were reported injured.

READ MORE: Israeli troops kill three Palestinians in occupied West Bank raids

Palestinian death toll rising

The Palestinian health ministry named the two young men killed as Ezzedine Bassem Hamamra, 24, and Amjad Adnan Khaliliya, 23.

A third Palestinian, 19-year-old Yazen Samer Jaabari, died of his injuries after he was shot by Israeli forces earlier this month, the ministry said.

He was wounded during an Israeli army operation on January 2 in the village of Kafr Dan, near Jenin, in which two other Palestinians were killed, according to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa.

The latest deaths bring up to 12 the toll of Palestinians killed this year during violence in the occupied West Bank, occupied by Israel since 1967.

Israeli forces have launched near-daily raids in the occupied West Bank following a wave of deadly attacks in Israel last year.

The surge in bloodshed last year saw at least 26 Israelis and 200 Palestinians killed across Israel and the occupied West Bank, according to an AFP news agency tally.

More than 150 of the fatalities were in the occupied West Bank.

READ MORE: Palestinian shot dead by Israeli troops in occupied West Bank raid