RAMALLAH, May 12 — A Palestinian teenager was killed in clashes with the Israeli army in the northern occupied West Bank, Palestinian authorities said today, the second such fatality in hours amid a sharp escalation in violence.

The Palestinian health ministry said Rashid Abu Ara, 16, was killed in Aqaba, north of Nablus.

The Israeli army had no immediate comment.

Earlier today, Hussein Al-Titi was killed after being hit by Israeli gunfire in Fawwar refugee camp near the Palestinian city of Hebron, the health ministry said. 

The Israeli army said the incident took place during a "violent riot”, as soldiers "spotted one of the rioters standing on a rooftop with the intention of hurling a block towards the troops”.

"The troops responded with fire,” the army said in a statement.

The West Bank clashes came amid the most intense Israeli-Palestinian hostilities in seven years, which have so far killed at least 45 Palestinians, including 13 children, and five Israelis.

Following weekend unrest at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque compound, sacred to both Muslims and Jews, militants in Gaza fired barrages of rockets at Israeli cities.

The Israeli army responded with air strikes on "terror targets” in the Palestinian enclave, which is ruled by Islamist Hamas. — AFP