Israeli commandos from the feared Mustaarabin undercover unit raided a hospital in the West Bank on Thursday and killed a Palestinian man before taking a suspected attacker in custody, according to USA Today.
The incident took place in Al-Ahli hospital, where Israeli forces, with one disguised as a pregnant woman, raided the facility at 3 a.m. to arrest Azzam Shalaldeh, a 28-year-old Palestinian.
Shalaldeh is accused of having attacked a Jewish settlement last month and escaping with gunshot wounds. He was receiving treatment at the West Bank hospital when the Israeli troops raided it.
Mustaarabin is a unit of the Israeli military that is comprised of elite soldiers who speak fluent Arabic, have long beards and are commonly used to infiltrate Palestinian protestors.
The director of the Al-Ahli hospital, Jehad Shawar, said that about 20 to 30 men arrived at the facility early on Thursday in two vans, according to Reuters. The men then entered the surgery unit of the hospital, pushing who appeared to be a pregnant woman in a wheelchair.
"They held the staff at gunpoint and stormed the room of Shalaldeh," said Shawar.
The commandos found Shalaldeh's brother, Bilal, in the room and tied him up on a bed, but as they were about to leave with the suspect, another of his cousins abruptly entered the room. The cousin was instantly shot.
"As his cousin exited the bathroom, which was inside the room, they fired five bullets: one bullet in the head, one in the chest and three in his body," added Shawar.
The commandos later used the same wheelchair they came with to carry Shalaldeh away.
The Israeli military confirmed the incident, saying that the suspect's relatives were known operatives of Hamas, according to CNN. The military also said that Shalaldeh's cousin was shot when he attacked the Israeli forces during the operation
"It should be emphasized that the security system will not allow the existence of places of refuge for terror activists wherever they are," warned Shin Bet, Israel's internal security agency.
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the operation a violation of International law.
