Two Palestinians have been shot dead by Israeli troops in the West Bank.

Palestinian medical sources confirmed the deaths on Sunday to Al Jazeera, saying that they had been told to collect two bodies.

The Israeli army said that the Palestinians had tried to stab an Israeli soldier near a security crossing southeast of Nablus.

"Two men tried to stab a soldier during a routine patrol near the Awarta security crossing near Nablus. The

force opened fire and confirmed their death," an army spokeswoman said.

The deaths bring to four the number of Palestinians killed in the occupied West Bank over the last two days.

Two Palestinians were killed on Saturday during a protest in the West Bank city of Nablus when they were hit by live ammunition, apparently fired by Israeli troops.

The Israeli military denied its soldiers had used live ammunition at the protest, saying they had used only riot control weapons such as teargas and rubber-coated bullets.

But a Palestinian doctor has said X-rays prove the military's claim is false and that the boys were struck by live ammunition.

The Israeli military has said it will investigate the incident which occured amid "a violent and illegal riot" near Iraq Burin, during which dozens of rock-hurling Palestinians approached Bracha, a nearby settlement.

Clashes take place in the village on a nearly weekly basis over a water well that Palestinians claim Jewish settlers are trying to seize for their own use.

Mourners gathered in the town of Iraq Burin on Sunday for the funeral of the two boys.