Gaza Nurses Protest Loss Of ‘Israeli’ Permit, Layoffs

The seven nurses gathered at a public square in Gaza City, wearing lab coats and holding banners that said: “Firing us is a death sentence on our profession and families.”

They directed their anger at both the Zionist regime, which has heavily restricted the entrance of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, and at the decision by the Makassed Hospital to lay them off. Each had worked there for at least 20 years.

“We never expected that Makassed would dismiss us arbitrarily,” said Baher Lulu, 53, a critical care nurse who said he joined the hospital 30 years ago, when travel from Gaza to occupied al-Quds did not require ‘Israeli’ permission. “This has hurt us and our families, which rely heavily on this income.”

The workers said they used to receive renewable three-month permits that allowed them to spend the week at Makassed and return home to Gaza each weekend.

But starting in 2016, they said ‘Israeli’ occupation authorities gradually stopped issuing permits. By 2019, all of them had lost the permits. The medics say the Zionist entity cited security concerns.

The occupation entity imposed a blockade on Gaza in 2007. Under the blockade it restricts the entrance of Gazans to the occupied territories on security grounds.