Ramallah: At least 12 Palestinians and one Israeli officer were killed on Thursday in clashes in a refugee camp east of the West Bank city of Tulkarm, Palestinian sources said.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health confirmed in a statement that 12 Palestinians were killed in “an attack” in the Nur Shams refugee camp, adding seven of them were pronounced dead after being sent to Tulkarm Governmental Hospital in the city.

The clashes occurred when the Israeli army was conducting a massive arrest campaign in the West Bank targeting Palestinian suspects.

Director of the hospital Amin Khader told Xinhua that among the 12 Palestinians, five victims were still being held in a mosque and yet to be transferred to the hospital.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said that the “Israeli army prevented ambulance crews from reaching injured people in the camp.”

Local Palestinian sources said the “Israeli army launched a drone and blew it up, causing a number of deaths and injuries.”

One Israeli police officer was also killed and a number of others injured after a homemade explosive device went off during the clashes in the camp, according to Israeli media reports.

The Israeli army said in a statement that the manhunt operation targeted more than 150 Palestinians.