Four killed by Israeli troops in Nablus

Israeli commandos have killed four suspected Hamas militants during a raid on an alleged hideout and explosives lab in the West Bank town of Nablus.

The soldiers, backed by several tanks entered the Al Majeen neighborhood early on Tuesday morning. In a nine–story residential building, troops stormed a ground–floor apartment where Hamas fugitives had been hiding, Palestinian witnesses said.

The army said that a gun battle erupted and four Palestinians were killed. They also claimed that large amounts of explosives were found in the apartment, and nine suspected militants were arrested. Four soldiers were hurt.

Palestinian officials identified the dead as members of the Hamas military wing Izzedine al Qassam, including the Nablus leader of the group, Yosef Soragji. Two of the four had been on a list of several dozen militants Israel has asked the Palestinian Authority to arrest.

Danny Ayalon, a Sharon adviser, said: "In Nablus, we took out a bomb factory. When the Palestinians do not do what they have to do, by fighting terror, countering and preventing it, then we have to do it," Ayalon said.

The shootings came as troops pulled out of the nearby town of Tulkarm, which they had taken over a day earlier in the biggest operation of its kind since the Palestinian uprising began nearly 18 months ago.