The ministry said a Palestinian man from the village of Borqin west of Jenin who had been shot with a live bullet died from his wounds after reaching hospital.

Israeli public radio Kan reported early Sunday that troops were involved in gun battles with armed Palestinians near Jenin, which broke out as the army moved in to arrest "suspects" in the area.

An Israeli army spokesman told AFP it would comment on the incident later Sunday morning.

The Jenin governorate is a flashpoint area in the long-running Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Four Palestinians were killed in Jenin refugee camp last month by Israeli forces during heavy clashes.