Israeli forces, disguised as civilian women and medics, conducted a forceful incursion into a hospital in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday.
The operation resulted in the killing of three Palestinian militants, highlighting the extension of lethal conflict from the Gaza war into the region.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu firmly rejected the possibility of a military withdrawal from Gaza and the release of numerous detained militants, which are the primary demands from Hamas for a potential cease-fire.
This stance has raised skepticism about the effectiveness of ongoing efforts to bring an end to the destabilizing war that has affected the broader Middle East.
According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, Israeli forces fired shots within the Ibn Sina Hospital in Jenin, West Bank.
A spokesperson for the hospital indicated that there was no reciprocal gunfire, suggesting a targeted killing rather than a confrontation.
Israeli Military Alleges Militant Hospital Hideout
The Israeli military asserted that the militants had utilized the hospital as a hiding place, although no evidence was provided to support this claim.
The military alleged that one of the individuals targeted had facilitated the transfer of weapons and ammunition to others, planning an attack allegedly inspired by Hamas’ assault on southern Israel on October 7, which sparked the conflict in Gaza.
Security camera footage from the hospital revealed approximately twelve undercover forces, the majority of them armed, donning Muslim headscarves, hospital scrubs, or white doctor’s coats. One of them carried a rifle in one arm and a folded wheelchair in the other.
Criticism Grows Over Israel’s Actions in Gaza Hospitals
Israel has faced severe criticism for its incursions into Gaza hospitals, which have been instrumental in treating large numbers of Palestinians injured in the conflict and providing essential refuge for displaced individuals.
Gaza’s already fragile healthcare system, compounded by Israeli restrictions and the conflict’s impact on medical supplies and fuel, is teetering on the brink of collapse due to the overwhelming influx of patients.
Israel contends that militants exploit hospitals for cover, citing the discovery of underground tunnels near medical facilities and the identification of weapons and vehicles linked to the October 7 attack on hospital premises.
On Tuesday, the Al-Amal Hospital in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, housing approximately 7,000 displaced individuals, was reportedly raided by Israeli forces, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.
The organization stated that Israeli tanks stationed outside the hospital fired live ammunition and smoke grenades at the people inside, prompting an evacuation order.
In response, the Israeli military, without providing details, asserted that its forces were operating in the hospital’s vicinity but not within the facility itself.