On Tuesday, Israeli forces, disguised as civilian women and medical personnel, conducted a raid on Ibn Sina Hospital in the occupied West Bank town of Jenin, resulting in the killing of three Palestinian militants. The Palestinian Health Ministry condemned the action, asserting that Israeli forces fired within the hospital wards, leading to the deaths. The international community was urged to pressure Israel to cease such operations in hospitals.
The Israeli military claimed that the militants were using the hospital as a hideout, alleging one of them facilitated the transfer of weapons for a planned attack inspired by the Hamas assault on southern Israel on October 7, which triggered the conflict in Gaza. The military provided no evidence to support this claim.
Security camera footage shared on social media depicted around a dozen undercover Israeli forces, some armed, dressed as women with headscarves or hospital staff in scrubs or white coats. One individual, wearing a surgical mask, carried a rifle and a folded wheelchair. The footage showed forces patting down a man against a wall with raised arms.
The Palestinian Health Ministry in Ramallah confirmed the deaths, characterizing the incident as a targeted killing without any exchange of fire. The Israeli military, in its statement, referred to the operation as the neutralization of individuals belonging to a Hamas terrorist cell, identifying one of the deceased as Mohammed Jalamneh, 27, who was allegedly planning an imminent attack. The other two, Basel and Mohammed Ghazawi, were accused of participating in attacks.
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Hamas condemned the incident, declaring that the Israeli army’s actions would not go unanswered. The group framed the killings as part of ongoing Israeli crimes against Palestinians, extending from Gaza to Jenin.
Meanwhile, clashes persisted in the Gaza Strip, while discussions slowly progressed towards a potential cease-fire to halt the conflict. The conflict originated when a group of Hamas-led militants infiltrated Israel, resulting in approximately 1,200 casualties, predominantly civilians, with around 250 individuals abducted.
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In retaliation, Israel launched an intense air, sea, and ground offensive, causing over 26,700 casualties in Gaza, as reported by the Health Ministry in the territory controlled by Hamas. The ministry’s tally does not differentiate between combatants and noncombatants, but it indicates that approximately two-thirds of the fatalities are women and minors.