Three Palestinians killed in West Bank

Israeli troops kill three Palestinian militants who opened fire on them from a car near the occupied West Bank city of Nablus.

JERUSALEM - Israeli troops killed three Palestinian militants who opened fire on them from a car near the occupied West Bank city of Nablus on Tuesday, Israel's defence minister and army said.

The Palestinian health ministry confirmed that three people had been killed in the incident.

Palestine TV showed footage of a military vehicle blocking access to the area of the incident, including to an ambulance, as soldiers appeared to carry out an inspection.

Congratulating the army on Twitter, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said the incident had taken place at Mount Gerizim, a Samaritan community overlooking Nablus.

Violence in the West Bank has surged for over a year, with increased Israeli raids, Palestinian street attacks and settler rampages in Palestinian villages. Nablus and the nearby northern West Bank city of Jenin have seen especially intense clashes.