Israeli forces shoot dead two Palestinians in occupied West Bank

Two Palestinians have been shot and killed by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

A ministry statement said the two young men died of their injuries sustained “as a result of Israeli aggression in Jenin”.

According to eyewitnesses, the two men were killed on Thursday during an Israeli raid in the town of Kafr Dan near Jenin.

The ministry said earlier in the day that six Palestinians had suffered injuries — three of them seriously — in Jenin.

There was no comment from the Israeli military on the deaths.

Tensions have been running high since the beginning of April amid repeated Israeli raids to arrest “wanted” Palestinians.

READ MORE: Israeli forces kill another Palestinian man in occupied West Bank

Deadly raids

Just a day before, Israeli troops gunned down three Palestinians, including a teenage boy and a lawyer, the ministry said.

The Israeli military has stepped up its raids in the occupied West Bank following attacks by two Palestinians from the territory and three members of Israel's Arab minority that have killed 14 people, most of them civilians, in Israel since late March.

More than 20 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli troops since January.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday it held Israel "fully responsible for the repercussions" of the military's actions.

A spokesperson for President Mahmoud Abbas appealed for the international community to intervene.

Israel has accused the Palestinian Authority of not doing enough to rein in resistance fighters.

READ MORE: Palestinian shot dead by Israeli police after alleged knife attack