Palestinian militant killed in botched West Bank grenade attack
Haaretz

A Palestinian militant was killed on Sunday when a grenade he tried to throw at Israel Defense Forces troops exploded prematurely in the Balata refugee camp near the West Bank city of Nablus, witnesses and the IDF said.

They said 18-year-old Ayad Hashash, member of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, an armed wing of Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah faction, attempted to attack soldiers scouring Balata refugee camp in Nablus for militants.

Later on Sunday afternoon, soldiers in Nablus shot and wounded a Palestinian who tried to throw a concrete block at them. Another Palestinian sustained burns also in the Nablus area when he tried to throw a firebomb at IDF troops.

Earlier, it was reported that IDF troops fired at a Palestinian who was throwing an explosive device and at other Palestinians who were firing at the soldiers.

The exchanges of fire lasted three hours before the IDF left Balata.

Near Jenin early on Sunday evening, Palestinians opened fire and threw a grenade at IDF soldiers. There were no reported casualties.

A total of 17 Palestinians were arrested in the West Bank overnight, Palestinians and the IDF said.

Israel has arrested dozens of militants in the West Bank since a Palestinian suicide bomber from the area killed five Israelis last week in the coastal city of Netanya.

Air strike takes life
Palestinian hospital officials reported that Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades militant Khader Rayana, 27, died Satuday of wounds incurred in an Israel Air Force missile strike in the northern Gaza Strip on Thursday after the suicide bombing in Netanya last Monday.

Two other militants died immediately after missiles struck a house near the northern Gaza town of Jabalya, where members of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades were hiding.