Since Hamas’ genocidal attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, media and international organizations have repeatedly echoed Hamas’ casualty narratives, including claims that Israel was killing innocent healthcare workers, without independently verifying the information. Now, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) are releasing obituaries for these individuals and publicly acknowledging that many of those presented as medical professionals were in fact terrorist commanders and fighters.
It has long been clear that Hamas and PIJ have cynically and deliberately used hospitals, clinics, and healthcare staff to facilitate their terrorist operations; now these terrorist organizations are publicly admitting it.
The cynical abuse of Gaza’s healthcare system by Palestinian terrorist organizations should prompt members of Congress, the media, and the broader policy community to closely scrutinize reporting from Gaza and critically assess claims about Israel.
Below are just a few of the many documented examples of Palestinian terrorists who also worked as medical professionals in Gaza.
In one prominent example of Hamas’ abuse of the medical profession, Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, a pediatrician and the director of Gaza’s Kamal Adwan Hospital, was also a colonel in Hamas’ military wing. While international media have routinely criticized Israel for detaining Abu Safiya, Palestinian outlets have referred to him by his military rank, and a 2020 post on the official Gaza Strip Medical Services Facebook page likewise identified him as a Hamas colonel. He has also been photographed attending a military ceremony in a Hamas uniform. Abu Safiya “managed one of Hamas's terror hubs at Kamal Adwan Hospital, exploiting humanitarian resources to support Hamas terrorist operations against Israel,” according to Israel’s Foreign Ministry.
On June 17, Hamas admitted that Mohammed Akram al‑Kafarna was a commander in its Northern Gaza Brigade. Al‑Kafarna also served as head of the Palestinian Nursing Association in the Gaza Strip and chief nursing supervisor at Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia. He was killed in an Israeli strike in September 2025, after which National Nurses United and the International Council of Nurses both publicly mourned his death.
On July 2, PIJ admitted that Ahmed Fayezal-Dalu was a commander in its Gaza City Brigade. Al-Dalu also worked as a medical laboratory technician at Kamal Adwan Hospital. He was killed around October 2025.
On July 8, PIJ admitted that Ahmed Adel Abu Hilal was a commander in its Rafah Brigade. Abu Hilal was also a nurse at the Gaza European Hospital near Khan Younis. He was killed in May 2025.
On July 1, Hamas admitted that Ibrahimal-Farra was a commander in its Khan Younis Brigade. Al-Farra was also a nurse at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, where many Israeli hostages were held. He was killed in October 2023.
