Ramallah, March 23 (RHC)-- Seven Israeli soldiers have been injured in armed clashes with a Palestinian resistance fighter west of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank.

The exchange of fire, which lasted for nearly five hours, began in the early hours of Friday after a resistance fighter opened fire on a bus carrying Israeli settlers near the village of Deir Ibzi West of Ramallah.

The Israeli forces said the bus was targeted by at least one Palestinian fighter near Dolev and Talmon settlements.  The operation left no one wounded. However, the clashes started after troops were deployed to the scene.

Following reinforcements which involved deployment of helicopters and a drone, the resistance fighter who is yet to be identified was announced dead.  According to Israeli sources, two of the wounded soldiers were in critical condition.

Since the start of Israel’s aggression on the besieged Gaza Strip in October, the West Bank has seen a rise in Israeli violence from troops and settlers, that has claimed the lives of 447 Palestinians and injured about 4,700.

Israel has also intensified detention campaigns in the West Bank, arresting hundreds of people since October 7.