At approximately 6PM on December 27, Human Rights Workers (HRWs) received notice that the Israeli military had invaded the Al Ahli Hospital in Hebron. . The occupation of Al Ahli hospital was part of a number of military actions by the Israeli military in response to the killing of two off-duty soldiers by Palestinian militiamen in the Hebron area midday Friday.
HRWs arrived on the scene at approximately 6:20PM to find armored military vehicles blocking both the entrance and the exit to the hospital. Also present were more roughly a dozen military jeeps and other armored vehicles. Periodically, stone-throwing youths pelted the vehicles.
Shortly after our arrival the Israeli military refused to allow an ambulance from the Palestinian Red Crescent onto the grounds; as the vehicle was turned away the Israeli military threw a sound bomb at the vehicle, which was forced to transport an injured patient elsewhere. HRWs witnessed the Israeli military refusing entry of the International Red Cross. HRWs were also refused access and threatened by Israeli soldiers. These incidents were filmed by one of the HRWs. Soldiers attempted to take the video camera.
After approximately 3 hours the Israeli military left the hospital, unable to find a wounded Palestinian gunmen. Patients and visitors reported that the Israeli military confiscated ID cards and left without returning them. Hospital staff reported that a radiology technician was beaten but not injured.