"A Palestinian opened fire at a bus stop killing 2 Israelis, severely injuring 1 & injuring others at Asaf Junction, north of Jerusalem," the Israeli military said on its Twitter account.

An army spokesperson was unable to confirm reports that the assailant targeted Israeli soldiers.

The attack occurred near the Israeli settlement of Ofra, on the main road that crosses the West Bank from north to south.

It came only hours after Israeli forces killed two Palestinians in the West Bank after attacks that claimed the lives of three Israelis, including a baby.

One of them was Salah Barghouti, a 29-year-old accused of shooting at Israelis on Sunday at a bus stop also near the Ofra settlement.

That attack wounded seven people including a woman who was seven months pregnant.

Doctors tried to save the baby boy with an emergency cesarean but he died on Wednesday and was buried in Jerusalem.

His mother remains in hospital in a serious condition.

The other Palestinian killed by Israeli forces overnight had been suspected of shooting dead two Israelis two months ago.

Ashraf Naalwa, 23, was killed when forces tried to arrest him near Nablus in the West Bank, the Israeli Shin Bet security service said.