Israeli commandos executed a covert operation on Tuesday, entering a West Bank hospital disguised as medical personnel and civilians to eliminate three terrorists, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
The operation targeted Mohammed Jalamna, a Hamas member, and the Ghazawi brothers associated with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group. The IDF accused Jalamna of planning an imminent attack and using the hospital as a hideout. Video footage depicted soldiers dressed as nurses, women wearing hijabs, and a man carrying a baby carrier moving through the Ibn Sina hospital.
Mohammed Jalamna, affiliated with Hamas’ Qassam Brigades, and the Ghazawi brothers, linked to Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s Jenin Brigades, were killed in the operation. Hospital officials claim the men were executed while sleeping in their room, with bullets fired directly into their heads. The hospital’s director, Dr. Naji Nazzal, accused the IDF of carrying out cold-blooded executions and targeting individuals receiving medical treatment.
Israel and the West have long accused Hamas of using hospitals and patients as shields, with the United States recently asserting that Hamas used Gaza’s largest hospital, Al Shifa, as a command center.
In a December video, Ahmad Kahalot, chief of Gaza’s Kamal Adwan hospital, admitted to being a Hamas general, revealing that senior Hamas officials had private offices in the facility. The IDF’s recent operation adds to the ongoing debate about the use of hospitals by militant groups in the region.
While Hamas confirmed Jalamna’s affiliation, Palestinian Islamic Jihad acknowledged the Ghazawi brothers’ membership in their respective military wings. The IDF released evidence suggesting that hospitals are being exploited for military purposes by terrorist organizations. The incident at Ibn Sina hospital raises questions about the complexities and challenges involved in conducting military operations in environments where civilians and medical facilities are present.