New research tracking Gaza death reports reveals that some health workers and media personnel listed as civilian casualties were also members of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), according to analysts monitoring the Hamas-run health ministry’s data.
Dual Roles of Health and Media Workers in Gaza
Gabriel Epstein, senior policy associate at the Israel Policy Forum, identified multiple individuals designated as “martyrs” by Hamas and PIJ who held roles in healthcare and nongovernmental organizations but were simultaneously connected to terrorist activities. Epstein cited examples of health professionals publicly identified as such by Palestinian sources but also linked to militant groups.
One notable case is Fadi al-Wadiyya, a physiotherapist affiliated with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), killed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in June 2024. While MSF condemned the killing and denied prior knowledge of any militant involvement, Telegram posts from Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of PIJ, described al-Wadiyya as assisting their military manufacturing unit. MSF said it had not received an official explanation from Israeli authorities following the incident and stated it does not knowingly employ individuals involved in military activity.
IDF Bans MSF in Gaza Over Staff Disclosure Dispute
In early March, the IDF banned MSF from Gaza after the NGO declined to provide a list of its Palestinian employees, citing concerns for staff safety and operational independence. MSF spokespersons emphasized the risks humanitarian workers face in the region, including detention and attacks, which influenced their refusal to share personnel information without concrete assurances.
Additional Cases of Medical Staff Tied to Militants
Other healthcare workers mourned publicly by Palestinian health organizations were identified in Telegram and social media accounts linked to militant groups as combatants or commanders. Mohammed Akram Abdullah al-Kafarna, nursing supervisor at Kamal Adwan Hospital, was listed among Hamas’s Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades members. Similarly, Ayman Suleiman Aliyan Abu Tayr, a nurse and head of clinical nutrition at Nasser Hospital, was identified as a PIJ commander. Jaber Abdulhamid Diab Mohammedin, an ICU nurse at Al-Rantisi Children’s Hospital, was also named as a PIJ military commander.
The findings add complexity to casualty reports from Gaza, challenging claims of exclusively civilian deaths amid ongoing conflict.
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