Jenin Refugee Camp, West Bank ? Israeli troops charged into several more West Bank villages and arrested about 40 suspected militants Saturday, while Palestinian civilians picked through the rubble in towns hard-hit by Israel’s ongoing incursion.

South of Nablus, in the village of Jamain, a wanted leader of the militant group Hamas was shot and killed by Israeli soldiers Saturday, residents said.

In Nablus, a Palestinian said eight of his relatives  including a pregnant woman  were crushed when Israeli bulldozers demolished a building last week. The Israeli military said it wasn’t aware of the deaths. Several Israeli tanks shelled the Palestinian government complex in Nablus on Saturday, punching large holes in the building.

Hamas leader Ahmed Ali, 39, was killed in an olive grove outside the village, residents said. The Israeli army did not immediately comment.

Ismail Abu Shanab, spokesman for the Islamic militant group Hamas, said attacks would go on: “We have the full right to react without any limitation against the state terrorism of Israel.”

Israel launched its invasion of the West Bank on March 29 in response to a series of Palestinian suicide attacks. The Israelis have taken control of the main West Bank cities, and are now going into villages in pursuit of militants.

The operation is facing strong international opposition, but Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon says the troops will remain until Palestinian militants are routed.

President Bush has demanded Israel withdraw from the West Bank “without delay.” U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, in light of Palestinian Chairman Yasser Arafat’s denunciation of terrorism, issued a statement Saturday calling on Israeli forces to “exercise the utmost restraint and discipline and refrain from the excessive use of force.”

Aside from Nablus, Israeli forces remain in three other main West Bank towns  Jenin, Bethlehem and Ramallah  as well as villages.

The army announced Saturday it had entered six additional West villages, arrested 40 suspected militants, and faced sporadic resistance in several areas.

In Burkin village, next to the Jenin refugee camp, soldiers used loudspeakers to warn the town’s 5,000 residents not to leave their homes. Burkin residents said about 75 families had fled the refugee camp and taken shelter in the village.

The fiercest fighting of the Israel campaign took place in the Jenin refugee camp, where most Palestinian fighters surrendered last week after eight days of battle.