Terrorists Planning Imminent Attack Killed Hiding Inside Jenin Hospital

Jerusalem, 30 January, 2024 (TPS) -- Three Palestinian terrorists planning an imminent attack were killed while hiding inside a Jenin hospital on Monday night.

The three-man cell, led by Mohammed Jalamneh, was hiding inside the Ibn Sina Hospital. Soldiers found a gun on Jalamneh, the Israel Defense Forces said.

“For a long time, wanted suspects have been hiding in hospitals and using them as a base for planning terrorist activities and carrying out terror attacks, while they assume that the exploitation of hospitals will serve as protection against counterterrorism activities of Israeli security forces. This is another example of the cynical use of civilian areas and hospitals as shelters and human shields by terrorist organizations,” the IDF said.

Security footage showed the Israeli security forces entered Abu Sina disguised as doctors and nurses.

According to the Israeli Security Agency (Shin Bet), the Israeli personnel were in and out of the hospital in 10 minutes.

Jalamneh, 27, who had been in the Jenin refugee camp for a long period, planned an attack inspired by Hamas’s October 7 massacre of 1,200 Israelis living near the Gaza border, the IDF said. After the attack, the three intended to return to the hospital to hide.

Jalamneh had contacts with Hamas headquarters abroad and was once wounded trying to carry out a car bombing attack. In addition, he transferred weapons and ammunition to terrorists around northern Samaria to carry out shooting attacks.

The other two terrorists killed were identified as brothers Mohammed and Basel Ghawazi, from the Jenin refugee camp. Mohammed, a member of the Jenin Battalions, was involved in numerous shooting attacks on Israeli soldiers, while Basel was an operative for the Iran-backed Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

Abu Sina is a frequent hide out for terrorists in the Jenin area. In one November incident, terrorists fled the Jenin refugee camp in cars and ambulances as soldiers pursued. While several made it inside the hospital, one was caught at the entrance.

On Sunday night, Israeli security forces uncovered a booby trapped tunnel shaft rigged with explosives during a counterterror raid in the Jenin camp.

Since October 7, Israel has arrested more than 2,960 wanted Palestinians in Judea and Samaria, of whom more than 1,350 are associated with Hamas.