Two Israelis and two Palestinians killed in West Bank

By Mamoun Wazwaz

HEBRON, West Bank (Reuters) - Palestinian militants killed two off-duty Israeli soldiers who were hiking on Friday near the West Bank city of Hebron, in a clash that left two of the gunmen dead, Israeli and Palestinian security sources said.

An Israeli army spokeswoman said Palestinian gunmen opened fire at the soldiers who live in a nearby Jewish settlement and were on leave at the time of the incident. The Israelis shot back at the gunmen, the spokeswoman said.

Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the shooting. Israel has recently killed several of the group's militants in the Gaza Strip, including some senior commanders.

The group had threatened to retaliate for the Gaza attacks, saying the Israeli actions would "not go unpunished".

A splinter group of the al Aqsa Martrys' Brigades in the Gaza Strip also claimed responsibility for the Hebron shooting. West Bank leaders of the militant group, which is part of President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction, denied any role.

An Israeli police spokesman called Friday's shooting a "terrorist attack" and said police and the army had searched the area for the attackers.

Hours earlier, Israeli troops near the West Bank city of Ramallah killed a Palestinian security guard who worked for President Abbas's chief negotiator with Israel, the army and Palestinian security sources said.

Israel's Magen David Adom ambulance service confirmed that two Israelis had been killed near Hebron.