Israeli soldiers killed three members of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade in a shootout in the West Bank on Sunday, bringing to 80 the number of Palestinians killed in fighting this year, the Associated Press reported. The spate of violence is one of the worst in years and comes as Israel intensifies raids in the occupied area that it claims are aimed at militant networks following Palestinian attacks on Israelis last year. There are concerns the bloodshed could trigger a third intifada in the region.
