RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian at a roadblock in the occupied West Bank on Thursday, the Palestinian health ministry said.

The Israeli military, in a statement that made no mention of any casualties, said a vehicle broke through the roadblock and soldiers opened fire. It said it was investigating the incident, which occurred at night near the Palestinian city of Ramallah.

The Palestinian health ministry did not immediately identify the dead man.

A series of deadly shootings have taken place in recent weeks in the West Bank, territory captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war.

Last Friday, soldiers shot dead a Palestinian during a clash with protesters throwing stones. That incident took place eight days after a Palestinian gunman killed two Israeli soldiers and Israeli forces fatally shot two Hamas gunmen blamed by Israel for earlier attacks.