Gaza Hospital Director Threatened for Urging Terrorists to Leave Medical Facility

The head of nursing at Gaza’s Nasser Hospital received a written threat from Palestinian Islamic Jihad after publicly urging its terrorists to vacate the medical facility, warning that their presence could prompt Israel to shut it down as part of broader efforts to dismantle terror infrastructure in the coastal enclave.

On Sunday, Ynet reported that top nurse Mohammad Sakr posted a public message on Facebook identifying himself and condemning Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorists for turning the Khan Younis hospital into a base of terror operations. 

He also said he personally pleaded with terrorists to leave the premises in a bid to safeguard the hospital and its patients.

Shortly after issuing his appeal, Sakr found a typed message waiting in his office — a blunt warning that read, “Dear one: You’ve crossed the line — be careful!! This is your first warning.” The message was signed by al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

Sakr described the threat as “brutal,” adding, “I call on you in the name of God — not to forgive them.”

Both PIJ and Hamas have been designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations by the U.S. State Department and are known for exploiting Gaza’s civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and residential buildings. According to Israeli officials, such tactics violate international law and endanger civilians by making them human shields.

On Saturday night, the IDF targeted a Hamas command-and-control center operating inside Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza City, following rocket fire toward southern Israel. According to Israeli officials, no injuries were reported as medical personnel had been alerted beforehand and safely evacuated.

Last month, a Gaza-based source reported that Hamas commanders with the al-Qassam Brigades and internal security forces occupied al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, going so far as to evict new mothers from recovery rooms to use the space as cover.

The matter comes during reports of growing internal tensions in Gaza as civilians and medical professionals push back against terrorist groups that continue to embed themselves in sensitive civilian areas.

The IDF has expanded its military campaign as Gazans continue to demonstrate throughout the coastal enclave, chanting anti-Hamas slogans. This signals growing desperation among ordinary Gazans, many of whom now appear willing to speak out despite the risks.

Last week, hundreds of Palestinians in northern Gaza rallied against Hamas for the third consecutive week, chanting slogans labeling the group a “terrorist organization” and demanding an end to its rule.

The Iran-backed terror group which seized control of Gaza in 2007 has responded by attempting to suppress the growing unrest. According to Palestinian sources, operatives from the group executed protesters involved in the rallies. 

As more Gazans push back against the presence of terrorist factions like Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, signs of internal resistance are beginning to reshape the landscape of the conflict.