Ramallah, Jun 21 (IANS): Two Palestinian gunmen were shot and killed after launching a shooting attack that killed four Israelis near a Jewish settlement in the West Bank.

They were identified as Muhand Shada and Khaled Sabah, both from the village of Urif south of Nablus, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported on Tuesday.

In the afternoon, the two Palestinians armed with M16 rifles drove from Urif to a gas station outside the Jewish settlement of Eli, north of the West Bank city of Ramallah, and opened fire on Israelis in a restaurant there.

Israel's Magen David Adom rescue service said in a statement that four people were killed at the spot, while four others were injured, including one in critical condition, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Palestinian Islamist Resistance Movement (Hamas) that rules the Gaza Strip said in a statement that the two gunmen were members of its armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades.

Tension between Israelis and the Palestinians has been flaring in the West Bank since January, following daily Israeli army raids on Palestinian cities, towns, villages and refugee camps to arrest Palestinians wanted by Israeli security forces.

On Monday, five Palestinians were killed and 91 others injured, including 23 in serious condition, after Israeli soldiers, backed by bulldozers and a helicopter, stormed the northern West Bank city of Jenin, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

An Israeli army spokesman said in a press statement that seven of its soldiers were lightly or moderately injured during the operation in Jenin.