A Palestinian militant was killed on Sunday by Israeli troops' gunfire near the West Bank city of Nablus, witnesses and medics said.

Witnesses said Israeli troops stormed the village of Aseera al- Shamaleya northwest of Nablus early Sunday and clashed with members of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.

One militant of the group, an armed offshoot of the Palestinian mainstream Fatah movement, was killed in the confrontation.

Ghassan Hamdan, head of medical relief in Nablus confirmed that Moaaz Abu Zaor, 24, was shot dead in the head by Israeli soldiers.

Hamdan said Israeli troops prohibited Palestinian medical teams to get to the body of Zaor following the clashes and opened fire towards the medical teams.

"After two hours of contacting concerned sides, we were allowed to transfer the body," he added.

Meanwhile, a written statement released by the Al-Aqsa Brigades said the confrontation erupted when the group's militants opened fire on a Israeli military patrol.

The group said the attack on Israeli soldiers was an response to "Israeli aggressions against the Palestinian people and the Israeli killing of two Al-Aqsa militants in Nablus city."

The Israeli army confirmed the clashes, adding that there were no Israeli casualties.

Source: Xinhua