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Three Palestinian militants were killed by Israeli troops during an undercover operation in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin. The Israeli commandos were dressed in women’s attire and scrubs. The counterterrorism unit and the Shin Bet internal security personnel were part of the operation, which was conducted at the Ibn Sina Hospital.
The three males were shot in the head with silenced pistols by the units as soon as they entered the hospital and made it to a third-floor room, as seen on CCTV footage. It is said that the entire procedure took less than ten minutes.
The deceased has been identified by the Israeli military as Muhammad Jalamana, who served as a spokesman for Basel Ghazawi of Islamic Jihad, the military arm of Hamas, and his brother Mohammed. The three had reportedly fought alongside Israeli forces for the previous two years as members of the Jenin Battalion.
According to Israeli officials, the three were preparing an attack similar to the one carried out by Hamas in October that caused 1,140 deaths (based on Israeli estimates) and started the current battle in Gaza.
Although they denounced the operation, Hamas and Islamic Jihad accepted the militants’ affiliation. Asserting that the assassination tactic has not discouraged resistance forces, Hamas referred to it as a “vile crime” and threatened to respond.
Israeli forces have previously targeted the facility, as hospital authorities and the Palestinian health ministry noted in their condemnation of the attack. Although there was no gunfire during the raid, hospital spokesman Tawfiq al-Shobaki said that the Israelis attacked security and medical staff.
Since the targeted assassination took place inside a hospital, the occurrence is being called unprecedented. Regarding the current conflict, Israel claims that Hamas utilises medical institutions as cover for its operations, and scores of Israeli attacks on Gazan hospitals have sparked worries about possible violations of international humanitarian law.
The Ibn Sina hospital, which is outside the Jenin refugee camp, has been the target of several Israeli operations over the previous 12 months. Since the start of the Gaza conflict, there has also been an escalation in violence throughout the larger West Bank and Jerusalem, resulting in approximately 380 Palestinian deaths and 3,000 arrests.
Attacks and violence continue as the Gaza War moves into its fifth month. With 128 recorded deaths on January 29th, Israeli soldiers are currently concentrating their efforts on the southern town of Khan Younis. To mediate a second ceasefire, ongoing negotiations between Israel and Gaza are being supported by Qatar, Egypt, and the US. The proposals call for a 30-day break in hostilities during this period.