RAMALLAH, July 5 (Xinhua) -- A Palestinian militant was shot dead by Israeli troops near the West Bank town of Jericho on Wednesday, Palestinian security sources said.

    The militant, identified as Mahmoud Shahin, was killed by Israeli troops' gunfire in the Ein al-Sultan refugee camp near Jericho, the sources said.

    Meanwhile, the Israeli army said that its troops surrounded a house in the refugee camp and ordered people inside to leave.

    The militant then fled the house and was shot, the army added.

    Israeli troops have recently intensified arrest raids in the West Bank as a massive ground offensive is underway in the Gaza Strip in a bid to rescue an Israeli soldier kidnapped by Palestinian militants. Enditem