Israeli troops killed two Palestinians, including an Islamic Jihad militant, in the West Bank this afternoon.
They also claimed the capture of a key leader of the radical group in the West Bank.
Witnesses said undercover commandos shot dead Mr Mazen el-Badawi, an Islamic Jihad member who had long been on Israel's wanted list, in the Tulkarm refugee camp.
They said four other Palestinians were wounded by Israeli fire, and one of them later died. An Israeli military source said troops shot at Mr Badawi and another wanted man after they resisted arrest and opened fire.
Hours earlier, Israeli forces arrested local Islamic Jihad leader Sheikh Bassam Sa'adi after using tracker dogs in a Jenin refugee camp.
Witnesses said three other Palestinians were also detained.
In Gaza City, Islamic Jihad leader Mr Abdallah al-Shami accused Israeli forces of abusing Sheikh Sa'adi. "The enemy will pay a dear price," he warned.
Mr Shami said Sheikh Sa'adi had eluded Israeli sweeps for two years, and that his capture "will not weaken the resistance, on the contrary, it will fuel it more and more".
In other army operations, troops seized 14 people near the West Bank cities of Nablus, Ramallah and Hebron.
Witnesses in the southern Gaza refugee camp of Rafah said soldiers blew up 12 homes and a tunnel used to smuggle weapons in from nearby Egypt. Palestinian medical officials said three people were wounded in the action.