Israeli forces kill Palestinian gunman who opened fire at Qalandia checkpoint

The Palestinian militant group Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade claimed the attack in the West Bank

The Qalandia checkpoint is used by the Israeli military to control Palestinian access to occupied East Jerusalem and Israel. Reuters.

A Palestinian was shot dead by Israeli forces, after opening fire at a military checkpoint north of Jerusalem on Saturday and lightly wounding two guards, Israeli authorities said.

The Qalandia checkpoint is used by the Israeli military to control Palestinian access to occupied East Jerusalem and Israel.

A militant group claimed responsibility for the gunman's attack, the latest incident in months of escalating violence.

Israeli police said a "suspect opened fire at the security forces operating at the crossing".

The Palestinian had approached Israeli troops stationed at the Qalandia checkpoint early in the morning and pulled out an M16 rifle, the police said.

Troops said they shot back, killing the assailant. According to the Israeli rescue service, two security guards in their 20s were admitted to hospital with minor wounds — at least one from bullet fragments.

The attacker has not been identified.

The Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade, a Palestinian militant group, claimed responsibility for the attack.

"Our heroic fighters were able to directly target occupation [Israeli] soldiers at Qalandia checkpoint," it said.

The shooting caps a bloody week in the West Bank that left 15 Palestinians and four Israelis dead.

An hours-long gun battle between Israeli security forces and Palestinian militants in the northern Jenin refugee camp killed seven Palestinians and wounded eight Israeli soldiers earlier this week. Two Palestinian gunmen then killed four Israeli civilians before being shot and killed.

An Israeli air strike by a drone killed three Palestinian militants in a car while Israeli settler revenge attacks left one Palestinian dead, many wounded and a trail of destruction through Palestinian towns.

This year has been one of the deadliest for Palestinians in the West Bank in years.

The Palestinian Health Ministry says that 174 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli army in Palestinian territories since the start of the year.

Israel says most of the Palestinian dead this year were militants, but stone-throwing youths protesting the incursions and others not involved in confrontations have also been killed.