Fierce clashes in West Bank

A Palestinian youth looks at ruins of a post -- belonging to Arafat's elite guard -- damaged by Israeli shelling in the West Bank town of Hebron early Friday

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Two Palestinians and an Israeli have been killed, and scores were injured Friday in continuing violence in the West Bank and Gaza.

Palestinian security sources said a Hamas member was killed in Tulkarem in the West Bank in a car bombing Friday. The car exploded as he tried to open a car door, the sources said. He was identified as Fawwaz Badran, 27.

At a settlement near the West Bank town of Hebron, an Israeli was killed, and another was wounded after a Palestinian attack early Friday.

Israeli troops entered the Palestinian-controlled part of the town and shelled Palestinian buildings, demolishing two of the Palestinian Authority posts, the Israeli army said. The army said the posts were shelled because Palestinians used them to shoot at Israeli soldiers and civilians.

At least 51 Palestinians were injured Friday by soldiers and settlers' attacks, the Palestine Red Crescent Society said.

AUDIO CNN's Mike Hanna: A day of violence 597K / 55 sec. AIFF or WAV sound

In Gaza, a Palestinian was shot and killed by Israeli forces when he reportedly tossed a grenade at soldiers defusing a bomb, according to Israel Defense Forces.

The violence comes a day after Omri Sharon, son of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, met with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, according to the prime minister's office.

Recent days have seen some of the fiercest fighting in the West Bank city since the Palestinian uprising began in September. The younger Sharon's meeting with Arafat was an apparent move to ease tension.

The prime minister's office announced the meeting Friday but released no details.

Sharon himself is winding up a trip to Rome, Italy, during which he warned that Israel's military response would escalate if clashes continued.

After meeting Italian leaders Thursday, Sharon told The Associated Press that his security Cabinet had approved a plan of action with a number of steps. "I estimate that a certain amount of time will pass, and we will carry them out," he said.

The AP also reported that the Palestinian Cabinet met Thursday and had charged Israel with aggression, saying that the Palestinians are fully committed to last month's cease-fire plan.

Bloody events Thursday appeared to stretch the U.S.-brokered truce to its limits, with Israeli tanks killing a Palestinian policeman in the West Bank city of Nablus after an attack on Jewish settlers.

Palestinian officials said four policemen and a 12-year-old boy were wounded in shelling by the tanks, launched after Palestinian gunmen shot and wounded two Israeli settlers and their baby near the Palestinian-ruled city.

The Palestinian gunmen shot at the settlers near the West Bank settlement of Har Braha, seriously injuring the father and slightly injuring the mother and child.

In response, Jewish settlers smashed the windows of Palestinian cars, including an ambulance, with stones and rifle butts in the village of Huareh, south of Nablus, The Associated Press reported.

A short while later, an Israeli motorist was critically wounded in a shooting ambush near the Jewish settlement of Kiryat Arba next to Hebron.