Israeli troops kill two Palestinians in the West Bank

Defence Minister Yoav Gallant commended soldiers who 'eliminated two terrorists'

Mourners carry the bodies of Palestinians killed during a raid by undercover Israeli troops in Jenin in the occupied West Bank. Reuters

Israeli troops killed two Palestinians in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, Israel's Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said.

"I commend the actions of the soldiers who eliminated two terrorists who opened fire on them near Elon Moreh", Mr Gallant said on Twitter.

He said troops had "prevented an attack on Israeli civilians".

A senior Palestinian official was informed of the death of the two Palestinians, who were not immediately identified, AFP reported.

It comes after Israeli forces on Tuesday raided Jenin and arrested five people as violence continued across the occupied West Bank.

Two brothers were among the detained, the official Wafa Palestinian news agency reported.

A man was injured by live ammunition and tear gas was fired during “violent confrontations”, it said.

Dozens have been killed in Jenin since the beginning of the year amid an Israeli crackdown on suspected militants in the city and its eponymous refugee camp.

The army said it arrested a “terrorist cell” plotting attacks and confiscated ammunition and military equipment.

Palestinians say Israeli forces arrested the son of Maher Turkman, who was killed after shooting at a bus of soldiers in the West Bank last year.

It comes as Israel vows tighter security amid Palestinian attacks and rockets fired from Lebanon last week.

A teenaged boy was killed by the Israeli army during a raid in the Aqabat Jaber refugee camp near Jericho on Monday, days after a 20-year-old was shot dead near the town of Azzun.

Mohammed Balhan, 15, was shot in the head and chest and died of his injuries, according to Wafa. Two other men were injured.

Palestinian mourners at the funeral of teenager Mohammad Balhan in the West Bank refugee camp of Aqabat Jaber. AP

Elsewhere in the West Bank, Palestinians reported a settler attack on a home in Bethlehem and others injured by rubber bullets in Nablus.

At least 92 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire so far this year, at least half of them affiliated with militant groups, according to an AP tally.

This year's violence looks set to make 2023 the deadliest year in decades, exceeding 2022 which was the bloodiest since 2005.

Children and the elderly have also been killed, including in army raids on Jenin, where an elderly woman was among 10 people killed in a single day in January.

Israel has pledged to ramp up security after three members of the same family were killed in an attack near a West Bank settlement on Friday.

British-Israeli sisters Maya and Rina Dee were shot dead in a suspected Palestinian attack on their car. Their mother died from her injuries on Monday.

It followed a car ramming attack in Tel Aviv which killed an Italian tourist and wounded several others.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has mobilised police and army reserves following the attacks.

Several members of his cabinet joined a settler march to a West Bank outpost on Monday.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir and five other far-right ministers joined hundreds of marching Israelis.

Israeli public broadcaster Kan said that more than 17,000 participated.

In a video circulated on social media, an Israeli father on the march was recorded shouting criticism at the Mr Ben-Gvir for not doing enough to protect Israelis.

At least 200 Palestinians were injured while protesting nearby, Wafa reported.