Israeli soldiers shot dead a Palestinian gunman during a heavy exchange of fire this evening near the West Bank refugee camp of al-Aroub, the Israeli army said.
An army spokeswoman said the man died in the exchange of fire which she claimedthe Palestinians had started. She accused them of opening fire on Israeli soldiers and throwing petrol bombs at them near the camp on the outskirts of the city of Hebron.
She said army medics gave the man first aid, but he died. Earlier, Palestinian ambulance workers had reported that Israeli military medics were treating a Palestinian who had been seriously wounded in a heavy exchange of fire.
The death brings to 349 the number of Palestinians killed in six months of an uprising against Israeli occupation. At least 66 Israelis and 13 Israeli Arabs have also been killed in the fighting.