Ramallah, Jun 14 (IANS): A Palestinian was killed and eight others injured during clashes with the Israeli soldiers in the West Bank, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.

Fares Hashash, 19, died in the clash after being shot by Israeli soldiers at the Balata refugee camp close to the northern West Bank city of Nablus, the Ministry said on Tuesday in a press statement.

The eight injured Palestinians were moved to the hospital in Nablus for urgent medical treatment and two of them were in serious condition, it added.

Palestinian eyewitnesses and security sources said fierce clashes broke out in the refugee camp after an Israeli army force stormed the camp and raided several homes looking for Palestinians wanted by Israeli forces, Xinhua news agency reported.

Palestinian gunmen opened fire and dozens of young men threw stones at the Israeli soldiers, who fired back, killing Hashash and wounding eight others, they added.

Meanwhile, an Israeli army spokesman said in a press statement that its force stormed the refugee camp to arrest Palestinians involved in attacks against Israel, adding the soldiers were attacked by Palestinian gunmen and pelted with stones.

No injuries were reported among the soldiers, according to the statement.

The clashes in the northern West Bank cities came amid growing tension between Israelis and Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since early January.

Since then, more than 150 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli soldiers, while 19 Israelis were killed in attacks carried out by Palestinians, according to official Palestinian and Israeli figures.