Two Israelis killed in West Bank shooting

Two Israelis were killed today when Palestinian gunmen attacked a military training base in the northern West Bank.

The two militants were later gunned down by Israeli soldiers.

The raid was claimed by two Islamic extremist groups: the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades.

They said it was in retaliation for two days of clashes with Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip that killed 12 people, including a top commander of the militant group Hamas.

The Martyrs’ Brigade falls under the military wing of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat’s Fatah party.

All three groups have carried out dozens of shootings and several bombings since the latest fighting between Israel and the Palestinians began 30 months ago.

Eight Israelis were wounded in today’s attack on the base near the Israeli settlement of Bekaot in the Jordan Valley.

One gunman was shot dead during the raid and troops later killed a second during searches in the area, Israeli officials said.

Residents of nearby settlements were ordered to stay in their homes while troops searched for a possible third assailant.

Palestinian militants have repeatedly attacked settlements and military bases in the West Bank and Gaza over the last 30 months.

A similar attempt by a Palestinian gunman to infiltrate the Bekaot base several months ago failed when Israeli soldiers killed the attacker.