PA lays siege to West Bank hospital in failed arrest attempt of resistance commander

The popular commander of the Quds Brigades’ Tulkarem Brigade, Abu Shujaa, has been targeted in two previous assassination attempts

News Desk - The Cradle

The popular resistance commander in the Tulkarem Brigade of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) movement’s Quds Brigades, Abu Shujaa, escaped capture on 26 July after being besieged by Palestinian Authority (PA) forces in the city’s Thabet Thabet hospital. 

Video footage shows Abu Shujaa being escorted out of the hospital by Palestinian residents in Tulkarem, who prevented PA forces who had stormed the medical facility in his pursuit from arresting him. 

Residents of Tulkarem were filmed carrying the young commander on their shoulders, chanting: “With our souls, with our blood, we are at your service, Abu Shujaa.” 

Upon storming the hospital, PA forces attacked women and other civilians with tear gas, according to recorded audio testimonies circulating Telegram. 

Abu Shujaa was being treated in Thabet Thabet Hospital for an injury when the PA besieged the building and stormed the facility. 

The residents of Tulkarem mobilized in and around the hospital in huge numbers to prevent him from being detained by the PA. 

“If the [Palestinian] Authority's forces do not withdraw from the city of Tulkarem, the response will be harsh and explicit. If Commander Abu Shujaa is arrested, all the Authority's headquarters will be burned. Consider this a warning,” the Izkihim Nafe’ group in the Tulkarem branch of Hamas’ Qassam Brigades said in a statement. 

“We are fighting against two occupations: the Palestinian Authority and the occupation forces,” the statement added. 

“Any attempt to capture our fighters by the [Palestinian] Authority forces from Tulkarem to Jenin will be met with a severe response. Any attempt to defuse a planted explosive for the occupation forces will be met with a response. This means you are collaborating with the occupation,” it said in a statement later that afternoon. 

Abu Shujaa, born Mohammad Jabir, was previously targeted in an assassination attempt when PA forces opened fire at a group of wanted resistance fighters in late March. Weeks later, in April, the Israeli army attempted to target him in a drone strike. 

Hebrew media reports at the time claimed that Abu Shujaa had been killed in the strike. 

Friday’s siege on Thabet Thabet Hospital comes during an all-time high of PA suppression of the West Bank resistance in coordination with Israel. Tel Aviv and Ramallah have had deep security coordination for decades. 

Israeli forces have also stepped up their violent raids across the occupied territory, particularly in Tulkarem, as the resistance in the West Bank continues to grow.