A leading commander of Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad has been shot dead in a raid by Israeli forces in the West Bank city of Tulkarm. Israel said Luay Saadi had helped carry out recent bomb attacks on the Israeli cities of Tel Aviv and Netanya. Another Palestinian gunman is alleged to have been killed as Israeli soldiers carried out an operation in Tulkarm. Two Palestinians were shot dead by Israeli soldiers near the West Bank town of Tulkarm on Friday. An Israeli army spokesman said the Palestinians were killed in a gunfight but witnesses said the troops had opened fire on protesters who were throwing stones at the army vehicle. Luay Saadi was shot dead after Israeli forces surrounded the house where he had been hiding in Tulkarm. Another gunman, identified as Majed al-Askar of the al-Aqsa Brigades, also died in the raid. According to the Israelis, one of the men had opened fire on the Israeli soldiers. A white car he used as cover was left riddled with bullets. Palestinian witnesses told the Associated Press news agency a pool of blood was left behind near the stairwell of the building where the other man was killed.
Islamic Jihad has confirmed the death of one of its commanders and threatened Israel with revenge. The group has said it was behind recent bomb attacks on the Stage nightclub in Tel Aviv and another bombing in the Israeli coastal town of Netanya. The other major Palestinian militant group, Hamas, says it is observing an informal truce.
Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat has warned that the latest Israeli operation could upset the truce. "We condemn the Israeli incursion and assassinations in Tulkarm. This threatens the ceasefire," he told Reuters news agency.