UPDATE 2 - Israeli army kills 5 Palestinians in West Bank

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By Qais Omar Darwesh Omar and Hamdi Yildiz

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) - Israeli forces killed at least five Palestinians during raids in the occupied West Bank on Monday.

Four Palestinians were killed in the city of Nablus and another in Nabi Salih, near Ramallah, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

The ministry said 22 others were wounded.

According to a report by Palestinian state television, violence erupted when Israeli security forces who had entered Nablus were spotted by Palestinian security officers.

Later, the Palestinian presidency in a statement aired on state television "strongly" condemned the incident, describing it as “a war crime."

Eyewitnesses told Anadolu Agency that three-hour-long intense clashes took place and explosions were heard during the operation by Israeli forces against a Palestinian group calling itself the Lion’s Den.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army, security service and police said in a joint statement that they raided a hideout used by the Lion’s Den as a laboratory for the production of explosives.

On Oct. 12, the group said it was responsible for a shooting attack in which an Israeli soldier was killed.

According to the United Nations, more than 100 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the start of the year, the heaviest toll in the occupied West Bank for nearly seven years.