Mourners react next to the body of a Palestinian killed following an Israeli raid, in a hospital in Jenin, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank January 30, 2024. REUTERS/Raneen Sawafta
Israeli security forces conducted an operation in the Ibn Sina hospital located in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin. According to witnesses and authorities, three Palestinian militants were killed during the operation. The Israeli military, along with the Shin Bet security service and border police, stated that the operation was a joint undercover effort. One of the militants was identified as Mohammad Walid Jalamna, a member of Hamas, who was allegedly planning an attack inspired by previous incidents. The other two militants were identified as Basel Al-Ghazzawi and Mohammad Al-Ghazzawi, affiliated with the Jenin Brigade and the armed wing of Islamic Jihad, respectively.
The Palestinian health ministry confirmed the deaths and urged the United Nations to ensure protection for healthcare facilities, condemning the operation as a “massacre inside hospitals.”
CCTV footage from the hospital showed a group, purportedly Israeli commandos disguised as medical workers and Muslim women, entering the hospital armed with assault rifles and proceeding to the third floor where the militants were located.
Dr. Naji Nazzal, the hospital’s director, stated that the Israeli team entered the hospital in the early hours and executed the three men while they were asleep in their ward. He described the killings as cold-blooded, with bullets fired directly into their heads.
Evidence of the operation remained in the hospital, with bloodied pillows and stained beds visible. Basil Ayman Al-Ghazzawi, one of the slain militants, had been receiving treatment for a spinal injury prior to the incident.
The Islamic Jihad militant group claimed that the Al-Ghazzawi brothers were members of its armed wing, while Hamas confirmed Jalamna’s affiliation with its Al Qassam Brigade.
The Israeli military justified the operation, alleging that the militants were hiding in the hospital, which they described as another example of terrorist organizations using civilian areas and hospitals as shelters.
The operation in Jenin adds to the escalation of violence in the West Bank following recent conflicts between Hamas and Israel. Jenin, particularly, has experienced significant clashes, with Israeli attacks targeting the Palestinian refugee camp in the vicinity.
Following the deaths, thousands of mourners gathered to bury the three militants, reflecting the heightened tensions and emotions in the region.
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