news clarifies: In an earlier edition of this article, we wrote that it was Israeli soldiers who stormed the hospital. The correct thing is Israeli agents. The incident, which was first reported by the Israeli military and the Shin Bet, took place at the Ibn Sina hospital in the West Bank. Israel claims that one of the three killed was part of Hamas and that he was hiding in the hospital while planning a terrorist attack “inspired by the events of October 7”. – The wanted suspect also carried a gun, which was confiscated by the security forces, says a spokesperson from the IDF to news. The IDF claims this weapon was found in the hospital. Photo: IDF The other two are said to have been members of other Palestinian militant groups. Now a video is spreading showing Israeli security forces – disguised as health workers and Palestinian civilians – storming the hospital. news has asked the IDF why the agents were dressed as healthcare personnel, and why the three suspects were killed and not arrested. They have not responded to this. Was admitted to the hospital Doctor Tawfic Swhbaki, who is a spokesperson for the hospital, tells news that one of those killed was a patient. – This patient has been admitted to us since October last year. He was paralyzed from the waist down, and has undergone many operations and interventions. According to Shwbaki, both the patient, his brother and another visitor were shot and killed. – The man was undergoing rehabilitation at the hospital and was looked after by family and friends who shared in looking after him every day. He was not even able to go to the bathroom without help. Tawfic Swhbaki, doctor and spokesperson at Ibn Sina Hospital in Jenin. The image originates from an advertising poster for the hospital. The doctor also claims that the soldiers beat and attacked several employees. – We are in shock. We are terrified. The Israeli soldiers break all conventions by abusing the uniform of health personnel, says Swhbaki. He denies that Hamas soldiers are hiding in the hospital. – We only have patients and their relatives who drop in. We do not check the background of our patients. Our duty as doctors is to treat all the injured – the IDF claims they found a handgun on one of the dead? – We know nothing about this. Dressed as doctors and civilians In the video, several people with weapons can be seen moving in a corridor, including a man in a doctor’s coat and mask and what looks like a woman wearing a hijab. Others come carrying prams and wheelchairs. Photo: AFP You can also see a man being caught by one of the disguised agents. In the video, he is ordered to his knees, before one of them places a jacket over his head. In fact, Verifiable has geolocated the video to the hospital, and believes it most likely shows the attack. At the same time, AFP has published photos from the scene taken on Tuesday morning. One of them shows a bloody pillow with a bullet hole. BULLET HOLE: An AFP photographer took this photo inside the hospital on Tuesday. It shows a pillow with a bullet hole, surrounded by bloody stains. Photo: AFP Other photos show Palestinians mourning the dead. – Gangster behavior The video has been discussed by both Israeli and Palestinian media, including Al Jazeera and the Times of Israel. Israel’s security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has also shared and praised the video on X. It causes the editor in Palestine TV’s international department, Osama Nazzal, to react. – He refers to killing a sick person in a hospital as a heroic act. What kind of heroism is he talking about? Palestinian Osama Nassal believes it is unlikely that the hospitalized Palestinian planned a terrorist attack. – He was paralyzed in hospital. How could he have carried out such an attack? Nazzal asks. Photo: Gunnar Bratthammer/news Nazzal believes Tuesday’s attack shows the brutality of Israeli forces. – Such behavior is not expected of state actors. It’s behavior you expect from gangsters. Violation of international law Mads Harlem is an international law adviser at Save the Children. He says that doctors and patients are entitled to protection, even if a hospital is used for military purposes. – Although it is legal to use war tactics, you cannot take advantage of a person’s or group’s claim to protection to sneak up on and take the life of the enemy. Mad’s Harlem. Photo: CF-WESENBERG / CF-WESENBERG He refers to the agents’ method as a form of violation of international law. – If it has happened in this case, it is a war crime, he says. He believes it is immaterial that the incident should have happened in the West Bank, and not in Gaza. – Also in the West Bank, what I perceive to be fighting between Israeli soldiers and various groups is taking place. – Will create fear and uncertainty Morten Rostrup from Doctors Without Borders also reacts strongly to the video. – It is completely reprehensible. Hospitals must be protected in war zones. I can only say that this is a violation of international law, says Rostrup to news. Rostrup believes that such methods can contribute to the fact that neither Palestinians nor militant Palestinians dare to seek the necessary medical attention. – It could create a lot of fear and uncertainty among patients. A patient who has laid down their arms and is in hospital has a right to medical treatment and should be protected, regardless of which side of the war they are on. Morten Rostrup in Doctors Without Borders. Photo: Amanda Iversen Orlich / news He also says that it can weaken trust in the health institutions. Rostrup refers to an earlier example, where the CIA organized a fake vaccination program in Pakistan to obtain DNA from the family of Osama bin Laden. – This caused major problems afterwards. There was a total distrust of anyone who practiced vaccination in the country. Rostrup is critical of the fact that the operation carried out by Israeli operatives in the Shin Bet takes place shortly after the international court in The Hague has asked Israel to introduce measures to prevent a genocide. As of Tuesday, 26,637 Palestinians have been killed since October 7, according to Palestinian health authorities. They condemn the attack on the hospital. In a statement, they have asked the UN, international institutions and organizations to stop the “daily series of crimes” against Palestinians and their health facilities. Hamas has also confirmed the killings, and writes on Telegram that they will retaliate for the attack.
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