Muslim Nurse in New York Fired After Labeling Israel’s Actions in Gaza as ‘Genocide’

A Palestinian American Muslim nurse in New York City was terminated from her position after describing Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocide” during an award acceptance speech. Hesen Jabr, a labor and delivery nurse at NYU Langone Health, received the award for her work with mothers who have lost children during pregnancy and childbirth. During her speech on May 7, Jabr highlighted the plight of women in Gaza, stating the award was “deeply personal” to her.

“It pains me to see the women from my country going through unimaginable losses themselves during the current genocide in Gaza,” Jabr remarked in a video she posted online.

A spokesperson for NYU Langone Health confirmed Jabr’s termination, citing a previous warning in December against bringing her views on this “divisive and charged issue” into the workplace. The spokesperson mentioned that some colleagues were upset by her comments at the recent event, which led to her dismissal. Details about the earlier incident were not provided.

Jabr posted on Instagram that she received the termination letter later in May, following her speech.

Israel’s ongoing conflict in Gaza has resulted in over 36,000 deaths in the past eight months, according to the local health ministry. The war has also caused significant hunger and displaced nearly the entire 2.3 million population of Gaza. The conflict began on October 7, when Hamas, the militant Palestinian group governing Gaza, attacked Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking over 250 hostages, as reported by Israeli sources. This conflict has escalated tensions, leading to increased incidents of Islamophobia, antisemitism, and widespread demonstrations in the U.S. and other countries.