AFP - Three Palestinians were shot dead Saturday by Israeli soldiers as they tried to cross the security barrier from the Gaza Strip into Israel, a Palestinian medical source said.

A fourth Palestinian was wounded during the attempt to cross into Israel near the Erez border crossing, said the source.

The fatal shootings come as two members of the Fatah movement of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas were killed during an Israeli army incursion into the occupied West Bank, Palestinian medical and security officials said.

Hassan Abu Sheikh, 39, and Rayed Zorhi, whose age was not given, were shot dead on Saturday by Israeli soldiers who had entered the old town of the northern West Bank city, they said.

A woman was also injured.

The Palestinian officials said neither of the men had been on the list of militants being sought by the Israeli army and there had been no shots fired from their two houses, which had been surrounded by troops.

The incident follows the shooting death of an Israeli settler on Thursday when Palestinian gunmen opened fire on his vehicle in the West Bank