JERUSALEM, Israel – In a covert operation that has sparked controversy and mourning, Israeli special forces, disguised as civilians and medical staff, infiltrated the Ibn Sina hospital in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin on Tuesday, January 30, 2024, resulting in the deaths of three Palestinian men.
The operation, which involved personnel dressed as nurses and other hospital staff, was confirmed by both Israeli and Palestinian officials.
CCTV footage, widely circulated on social media, captured the dramatic scenes as around a dozen commandos, some impersonating women in hijabs and others pushing a wheelchair or carrying a baby car seat, stormed the hospital corridor, assault weapons in hand.
The deceased, identified by Hamas as members of the Jenin Brigades – an umbrella group of armed Palestinian factions in Jenin – were accused by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) of being terrorists with links to Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
An Israeli government minister lauded the raid as an impressive operation.
According to the Palestinian state news agency WAFA, citing sources inside the hospital, the disguised forces “infiltrated the hospital individually, headed to the third floor, and assassinated the young men.”
The IDF stated its target was Hamas fighter Mohammed Jalamneh, allegedly involved in significant terrorist activities and hiding in the hospital.
The raid also resulted in the deaths of two brothers, Mohammed and Basel Al-Ghazawi, identified by the IDF as involved in terrorist operations in the area, with affiliations to the Jenin Battalions and Islamic Jihad, respectively.
Itamar Ben Gvir, Israel’s far-right National Security Minister, endorsed the operation, sharing the CCTV footage on social media and congratulating the naval commando forces of the Israeli police, IDF, and Shin Bet for their role in the operation.
Hamas’s military wing, the Al Qassam Brigades, acknowledged Jalamneh as a member, releasing a photo and honouring him and the Al-Ghazawi brothers as “fighting martyrs.”
The Ibn Sina Hospital revealed that Basel Al-Ghazawi had been receiving treatment for injuries from a previous incident when he was killed.
The hospital and the Palestinian Ministry of Health condemned the attack, especially for targeting a health centre.
The ministry called on the UN General Assembly and NGOs to provide protection for medical treatment centres and emergency crews, citing international law’s special protection for civilian sites, including hospitals.
This incident adds to the long-standing tensions in the region and raises questions about the conduct of military operations in civilian and medical facilities, drawing international attention to the complex and often volatile nature of Israeli-Palestinian relations.
