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Israel steps up arrests amid hunt for missing teenagers Israel 'expects Abbas' help to find missing teenagers'
(about 2 hours later)
Israeli troops searching for three Israeli teenagers missing in the West Bank have clashed with Palestinians, detaining scores for questioning. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has told the Palestinian president he expects his help in finding three Israelis believed kidnapped in the West Bank.
As the army stepped up the search, it said it had arrested 150 Palestinians, including leading Hamas members. Mr Netanyahu telephoned Mahmoud Abbas amid an intensive search for the teenagers missing since Thursday.
Palestinian medics say a 19-year-old was shot dead during clashes near Ramallah, which erupted after soldier conducted house-to-house searches. Israel blames Hamas, and has arrested dozens of Palestinians and Hamas officials. Hamas denies involvement.
Israel has accused Hamas of kidnapping the teens, though Hamas denies this. Mr Abbas condemned the "kidnapping of three Israeli boys and... Israeli violations" since they went missing.
"Those who carried out the kidnapping of our youngsters are Hamas people," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday. Palestinian medics say a 19-year-old Palestinian was shot dead during clashes near Ramallah, which erupted after soldiers conducted house-to-house searches on Sunday night.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri called Mr Netanyahu's statements "silly" and said the arrests were "aimed at breaking the will of the Hamas movement in the West Bank". They said Ahmad Arafat died after being shot in the chest in the Jalazoun refugee camp.
The Israeli military said it was investigating the report.
Israeli forces have arrested 150 Palestinians, including leading Hamas members, to try to glean information on the youths' whereabouts.
Palestinian parliament Speaker Aziz Dweik, who is a member of Hamas, was among those arrested overnight.Palestinian parliament Speaker Aziz Dweik, who is a member of Hamas, was among those arrested overnight.
The students, one of whom also holds a US passport, went missing on Thursday near an Israeli settlement in the West Bank on their way back from lessons. The teenagers' disappearance has triggered one the most intensive Israeli search operations in the West Bank for years.
Israel says an "intensive operation" is under way to find the two 16-year-olds - Naftali Frenkel, Gilad Shaar - and 19-year-old Eyal Yifrach. Naftali Frenkel and Gilad Shaar, who are both 16, and 19-year-old Eyal Yifrach went missing at a junction near the city of Hebron as they hitchhiked their way home.
Palestinian officials have said they are co-operating with the search. Naftali Frenkel holds US-Israeli citizenship.
As part of the operation, Israeli soldiers searched houses in Jalazoun refugee camp on the outskirts of Ramallah on Sunday night. On Monday, Mr Netanyahu told President Abbas he expected him to help find the youths and apprehend the kidnappers.
Palestinian medical officials said Ahmad Arafat died after being shot in the chest during clashes that followed the searches. "The Hamas kidnappers came from territory under Palestinian Authority control and returned to territory under Palestinian Authority control. This incident exposes the true face of the terrorism that we are fighting against," Mr Netanyahu said.
They said it was unclear whether the Israelis had been trying to arrest the young man. The prime minister said the incident was the "consequences of the partnership with Hamas", with whom Mr Abbas signed a unity deal in April after years of division.
Palestinian security sources told the AFP news agency that he had been released from prison one week ago. Hamas is committed to Israel's destruction and is regarded as a terrorist organisation by Israel, the US, EU and other countries.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said: "Palestinians hurled rocks at security forces who responded with live fire. Scans of the area revealed ammunition and weaponry. Regarding the reports of a Palestinian killed we are still looking into them." Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri called Mr Netanyahu's accusations "silly" and said the arrests were "aimed at breaking the will of the Islamist movement in the West Bank".
The teenagers' disappearance is seen as the biggest strain on relations between the two sides since a Palestinian unity government was announced earlier this year. The teenagers' disappearance is seen as the biggest strain on relations between the two sides since a new Palestinian government, backed by Hamas, was sworn in earlier this month.
Mr Netanyahu called off peace talks with President Mahmoud Abbas in April, saying the Palestinian leader had to choose between peace and a pact with Hamas. Palestinian officials have said they are co-operating with the search - a move Hamas has condemned.
Early on Monday, the Israeli army confirmed it had conducted air strikes in Gaza that had "targeted a terror activity site and three weapon storage and manufacturing facilities".
Doctors in Gaza said two Palestinians were injured in the strikes.
The strikes came hours after two rockets were fired from Gaza into southern Israel, both of which were intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome defence system.