A nurse at a New York City hospital was terminated from her position after referring to Israel's war in Gaza as 'genocide' during an award acceptance speech. The nurse, who is of Palestinian descent, made the comments while being honored for her compassionate care of mothers who had experienced infant loss.
In her speech, the nurse expressed solidarity with the suffering of mothers in Gaza and linked it to her work. Following the speech, she was called in for a meeting with hospital leadership, where she was informed of her termination due to allegedly putting others at risk and offending colleagues.
The hospital spokesperson confirmed the nurse's termination, citing a previous incident where she was warned not to bring divisive views into the workplace. The nurse defended her speech, stating that discussing the war was relevant given the nature of the award she had received.
The conflict in Gaza has resulted in significant casualties, with Gaza's Ministry of Health reporting over 36,000 deaths and widespread displacement. While critics accuse Israel of genocide, the country denies the charge and asserts its efforts to protect civilians.
This incident is not the first at the hospital involving employees and comments related to the Middle East conflict. Previously, a researcher was fired for posting anti-Hamas cartoons. The nurse, who had faced legal challenges in the past, remains steadfast in her beliefs.
