Israeli forces, disguised as medical staff and civilians, reportedly killed three Palestinians inside Jenin’s Ibn Sina Hospital in the occupied West Bank. According to statements from the Palestinian Ministry of Health and the Israeli army, the undercover operatives carried out the killings while the victims were sleeping. The Health Ministry in Ramallah condemned the incident, describing it as an act by Israeli forces. The Israeli military claimed to have “neutralized” the men, accusing them of belonging to a Hamas “terrorist cell.” Security camera footage showed individuals, including those dressed as medical staff, armed with assault rifles in the hospital corridor.
Among those killed was identified as Mohammad Jalamneh, 27, whom the Israeli army alleged was planning an imminent attack. The other two victims, brothers Basil and Mohammad Ghazawi, were accused of being involved in attacks. Basil had been receiving treatment at the hospital for injuries sustained in an Israeli drone attack on October 25. The Palestinian foreign ministry strongly condemned the “assassination” by Israeli forces. Crowds gathered in Jenin for the funeral, with the mother of the Ghazawi brothers expressing their popularity and criticizing the Israeli special forces’ raid on the hospital.
Al Jazeera’s Charles Stratford reported on the Israeli army’s determined raids targeting armed resistance fighters in the occupied Palestinian territory. Hamas denounced the Israeli army’s actions, stating that these “crimes will not go unanswered” and framing them as part of the ongoing occupation’s crimes. The incident involved undercover operatives posing as medical staff, prompting concerns about the violation of the hospital’s sanctity. Al Jazeera’s Rory Challands noted that assailants, including Israeli police and army personnel, disguised themselves as doctors, nurses, and civilians. The operation marked a rare instance of Israeli forces conducting an operation inside a civilian medical institution.
The situation intensified, leading to violent clashes in the area surrounding the hospital. Since the outset of Israel’s war on Gaza, Israeli forces have regularly carried out raids and arrests in the occupied West Bank. The broader context involves ongoing tensions between Israel and Palestinian groups, with hundreds of people killed and arrested in the aftermath of attacks by Hamas on Israel. Approximately 100 captives were returned to Israel under a truce deal in November, exchanging them for the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. The conflict has resulted in a significant number of casualties and injuries in Gaza due to Israeli attacks.