A Palestinian man was killed and three people were injured late Friday night by Israeli soldiers in clashes near the West Bank city of Qalqilya, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said.

Yahia Odwan, 27, was killed during clashes that broke out in the village of Azoon, east of the northern West Bank city of Qalqilya, the Ministry said.

The Israeli authority hasn't yet commented on the incidents.

But Israeli media said Odwan was a former prisoner recently released from an Israeli jail who tried to carry out a ramming attack against Israeli soldiers who then chased his car and opened fire on it.

The incident coincided with a shooting attack carried out by Palestinian gunmen near the Israeli settlement of Ariel in the West Bank, Israeli media reported.

Israel said that one Israeli security guard was killed, and suspects in the shooting are still at large.

Friday's events came at a time of heightened tensions between Israelis and Palestinians.

(With input from Xinhua)