Surveillance footage from Ibn Sina hospital reveals members of an Israeli undercover unit, disguised as medics and civilians, navigating the corridors with raised rifles….reports Asian Lite News
Israeli forces have fatally shot three members of Palestinian armed groups in a West Bank hospital, sparking outrage and accusations of a “new massacre inside hospitals” from the Palestinian Authority’s ministry of health.
Hamas, engaged in a conflict with Israel in Gaza, labelled it an execution of three fighters, while Palestinian Islamic Jihad stated that two slain individuals were its members and brothers. The Israeli military asserted that the individuals were hiding in the Jenin hospital, with one allegedly planning an imminent attack.
Surveillance footage from Ibn Sina hospital reveals members of an Israeli undercover unit, disguised as medics and civilians, navigating the corridors with raised rifles.
Disturbingly, the video captures one operative stripping clothing from a person kneeling with hands behind their head and covering the individual’s head with it. The footage also shows unit members carrying a folded wheelchair and a baby-carrier, seemingly as props.
Images from the room where the men were shot display blood-stained floors and walls, featuring a bloodied blue pillow with a bullet hole on a bed.
Talking to Reuters, Dr. Naji Nazzal, the hospital’s director, accused the Israeli forces of executing the three men while they slept, firing bullets directly into their heads.
Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the custodian of the Geneva Conventions governing international humanitarian law, expressed concern over the raid.
Emphasising that hospitals and medical patients should be respected and protected at all times under international humanitarian law, the ICRC stated it would address the issue as part of its confidential dialogue with the relevant authorities.
In a separate incident, the Israeli forces have stormed the Al-Amal Hospital in Khan Younis area in the southern Gaza Strip.
The Palestine Red Crescent Society said on Tuesday in a statement that Israeli forces demolished the outer wall of the hospital, and asked displaced people and medical personnel to evacuate immediately, Xinhua news agency reported.
In the past days, the vicinity of the hospital has witnessed intense Israeli shelling, resulting in dozens of deaths and injuries and displacing hundreds of Palestinians from the area.
Al-Amal Hospital hosts thousands of Palestinians who sought refuge there as a result of Israeli shelling in various areas of Khan Younis.
However, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) denied the report. “There’s no storming of the Al-Amal hospital, entry into it or any ordering of people to leave at gunpoint,” an IDF spokesman said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross on Tuesday called for the protection of civilians amid the fighting in the Gaza Strip.
“The ongoing hostilities in densely populated urban areas, including areas surrounding hospitals, endanger the lives of the most vulnerable groups, such as medical teams, patients, the wounded, children, people with disabilities, and the elderly,” the committee said in a statement sent to Xinhua.
The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip has risen to 26,751 since October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a cross-border surprise attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people, said the Hamas-run Health Ministry on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, a ceasefire to the ongoing war for release of hostages is likely by the coming week.
According to Israel Defence Ministry officials, discussions are on at a higher level and a ceasefire leading to the release of a batch of women, elderly and sick Israeli hostages from the custody of Hamas will commence soon.
While Hamas has been insisting on a complete withdrawal of Israel Defence Forces (IDF) for the next round of ceasefire, Israel had backed out of it in total.
Several rounds of mediatory talks held at the behest of Qatar, Egypt and the US at Doha, Cairo and Paris seems to be bringing in results.
Sources in the Israel defence ministry told IANS that Israel side has agreed upon the release of a large number of Palestinians who have been arrested and jailed in Israel in exchange for the hostages in the custody of Hamas.
According to information available after the release of women, sick and elderly civilians in Hamas custody, a second batch of hostages would also be released in which women Israeli soldiers in Hamas custody would be freed.
CIA chief William Burns and Mossad Chief David Burnea were also present in the recent mediatory talks held at Paris and have ironed out certain issues pertaining to ceasefire during their talks with Qatar and Egyptian mediators.
Sources clarified that there could be a one month ceasefire in hostilities but Israel has not agreed for the safe passage of top Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Deif from Gaza into either Qatar or Turkey.
Israel Defence Minister Yoav Gallant had clearly stated that the Israel army would smoke out Sinwar from his hideout and would kill him.
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