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© AFP Photo / Spencer Platt
The bodies believed to be of three Israeli teenagers, who went missing in the occupied West Bank more than two weeks ago, have been discovered by the security forces, Israeli media report.

The discovery was made on the 18th day of the search in a field northwest of Hebron on Monday afternoon.

Earlier on Monday, Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon announced that progress had been made in the search for Gil-Ad Shaer, Naftali Fraenkel and Eyal Yifrah, Israel Radio reported.

The Israeli security agency, the Shin Bet, has been focusing its effort in the area over the past two days.

A large number of police officers and security forces had gathered at the Halhul junction north of Hebron and the area was declared a closed military perimeter.

Tensions on the ground resulted in clashes between Israeli security forces and the local Palestinian population.

A special cabinet meeting convened by the Israeli government is reportedly scheduled to take place later on Monday.

Three Israeli students went missing while hitchhiking in Gush Etzion, south of Jerusalem, on June 12.

One of the teenagers managed to call the police to report that they were being kidnapped.

The disappearance sparked a massive door-to-door manhunt in the Palestinian city of Hebron and surrounding villages in the West Bank, with the Israeli authorities accusing Hamas of the crime.