RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories (AFP) - A Palestinian was shot dead early on Wednesday in clashes that broke out when Israeli troops entered a West Bank refugee camp near Ramallah, sources on both sides said.

Palestinian medics and security sources named him as Taysir Qatari, 22, and said he had been hit in the chest by gunfire during stone-throwing clashes after soldiers entered Al-Amari camp on an arrest mission.

An Israeli army spokesman confirmed troops had entered the camp on a mission to arrest a Hamas operative, saying they came under attack by a group of some 50 Palestinians with "rocks, Molotov cocktails and burning tyres".

"They identified one Palestinian who tried to throw an explosive device at them so in response they opened fire," she said, indicating he was hit and evacuated for medical treatment but later died.