The file photo shows Martyr Dr. Thabet Thabet Government Hospital in the occupied West Bank

Ramallah, January 5 (RHC)-- Israeli forces have attacked a Palestinian hospital in the occupied West Bank, using stun grenades and leaving patients suffering from shock.  The Palestinian Information Center reported that the attack by Israeli forces on Martyr Thabet Thabet Government Hospital in the northern West Bank city of Tulkarem took place at dawn Monday.

They fired four stun grenades inside the medical complex -- one in the reception hall and three in the emergency ward-- leaving patients suffering from panic due to the raid, the report said.  Palestinian Health Minister Mai al-Kaila strongly denounced the attack on the hospital, stressing that Israeli forces terrified many patients, particularly children and the elderly, while caused panic among them. 

She also called for an urgent international action to protect Palestinian people and put an end to repeated Israeli crimes and violations of the international law.  The Palestinian minister further hailed the medical and health staff working in hospitals in the occupied territories, who brave the threat of the coronavirus pandemic as well as repeated attacks by Israeli forces.   

Monday’s raid is the third attack by the Tel Aviv regime forces on Palestinian hospitals in less than a month.  On December 27, Israeli forces stormed the Palestine Medical Complex in the city of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, injuring a Palestinian pregnant woman and a paramedic.

The attack came just hours after Israeli warplanes bombed al-Durra Hospital in the besieged Gaza Strip, which injured children receiving treatment at the hospital.

The latest development comes in the midst of rising tensions between Israelis and Palestinians in the wake of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank.