NABLUS, West Bank (Reuters) - Israeli troops killed five Palestinians on Thursday during the biggest raid against West Bank militants for months, stoking tension as Hamas Islamists held talks to form a new Palestinian government.

"This is a war crime aimed at continuing the escalation and undermining Hamas efforts to form a government," said Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri. "We are committed to resistance and the occupation will pay the price for these crimes."

Abu Zuhri did not say exactly what Hamas would do. Though formally committed to destroying Israel, it has largely followed a truce for the past year. Its election victory last month knocked any hopes that Middle East peacemaking might be revived.

Medics said three gunmen were among the dead in Nablus on Thursday. Two other men were shot dead when Palestinians confronted troops with stones and petrol bombs.

The army said its forces had opened fire when they came under attack as they tried to arrest wanted militants planning to strike Israel. Two Israeli soldiers were wounded.

The latest deaths in Nablus took the toll to eight over five days. It was the deadliest raid into the occupied West Bank since mid-2005. ...
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Angered by the deaths, hundreds of Palestinians marched in the streets shouting "Death to Israelis, death to occupation." ...