Palestninian President Mahmoud Abbas (file photo)

Hundreds of recently deployed Palestinian police have clashed with militants in the northern West Bank, as President Mahmoud Abbas pushes forward with his campaign to assert control in the region.

The fighting broke out Tuesday in the town of Qabatya, a militant stronghold near the city of Jenin.  Three people were wounded, one critically.

The security forces were deployed in the area last week as part of Mr. Abbas's efforts to improve law and order, seen as a key condition for Palestinian statehood.

Earlier, an Israeli air strike in the northern Gaza Strip killed a Palestinian militant and wounded at least one other gunman.

Gaza's ruling Hamas group says the militant killed was one of its members.

The Israeli military says one of its aircraft struck a group of armed men near the Israeli-Gaza border.

Israel regularly carries out raids and air strikes in Gaza, where Palestinian militants fire rockets into southern Israel.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.