Disguised Israeli Commandos Raid West Bank Hospital

Security forces entered Al Ahli hospital in Hebron early on Thursday and arrested 20-year-old Azzam Shaldallah on suspicion of stabbing and seriously injuring an Israeli civilian on October 25.

A video emerged of the arrest operation showing the Israeli forces in plainclothes disguised as a family coming to the hospital with a woman in labor. In the video, the group of men can be seen pushing another operative in a wheelchair who pretended to be the woman giving birth.

Special forces from the Border Police, combined with the Shin Bet intelligence agency and the IDF entered the hospital to arrest Shaldallah, and came under attack from one his relatives. Security forces shot and killed the relative before leaving the hospital with the wanted terrorist, the Shin Bet said.

Shaldallah, whose family is made up of Hamas operatives, was shot by the civilian he stabbed on October 25, but was able to flee the area.

The director of the Hebron hospital, Jehad Shawar, told Palestine radio that 20-30 men had arrived at the clinic in two mini vans.

"They held the staff at gunpoint and stormed the room of Shaldallah," Shawar said.

His cousin, who was in the bathroom, was shot dead when he suddenly entered the room, Shawar said.

"They took Shaldallah and placed him in the wheelchair they brought the woman in and they exited the room preventing anyone from giving medical aid to the young man laid on the floor," the director told the radio station.

Shaldallah's brother Bilal, who was asleep in vigil alongside him, told Reuters he was tied to the bed by the Israeli forces.

The Shin Bet said in a statement that security forces "will not allow safe refuge for terrorist operatives, whoever they are."