Does health care for terrorists betray Israelis?
The question of whether it is immoral to treat terrorists in Israeli hospitals stirs strong emotions and deep ethical debates. It has been an intense discussion in Israeli society over the years and, particularly, post-Oct. 7, 2023.
In Israel, the prevailing belief is that doctors and nurses have a moral obligation to provide medical care to all in need. Israel’s health-care system, renowned for its expertise and advancement, stands out for its practice of treating terrorists who have attacked, wounded and murdered its citizens. Recent example includes Hamas terrorists who were injured while carrying out mass slaughter, torture and rape against Israeli soldiers and civilians.
Following the brutal massacre on Oct. 7, Israel seemed to reconsider its stance, leading the Israeli Ministry of Health to issue a directive that captured terrorists should only be treated in prison facilities. This decision was ultimately disregarded. Although some terrorists were treated in prison facilities, Hamas terrorists were also transferred to civilian hospitals in Israeli cities, including Ramat Gan, Petach Tikvah and Beersheva.
During the ensuing months of the ongoing “Swords of Iron” war, Israeli hospitals continued to treat terrorists who were responsible for the rape, slaughter and torture of many, alongside their victims. This placed an immense strain on the health-care system, which was already reeling from the horrific events of Oct. 7 and the influx of thousands of injured soldiers from the subsequent conflict.
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Treating terrorists isn’t new. In fact, years before Oct. 7, Israeli doctors saved the life of Yahya Sinwar, the architect of the Hamas massacre. In 2004, while imprisoned, Sinwar was diagnosed with a brain tumor by an Israeli doctor who successfully saved his life.
Sinwar reportedly acknowledged the doctor’s role in his survival and, upon his release in 2011, promised to repay the debt he owed. He fulfilled this promise by orchestrating the sadistic slaughter of Oct. 7, which resulted in the deaths of more than 1,200 people with thousands more injured. Among those killed was the doctor’s nephew, who was killed after attempting to fight off five terrorists before being abducted to Gaza and succumbing to his injuries there.
According to one news article, senior doctors at Hasharon Hospital in central Israel reported that terrorists receive all-encompassing medical care, with no clear policy between essential and non-essential treatment.
Security risks are undoubtedly associated with substantial costs linked to treating high-risk terrorists. These include the expenses associated with maintaining high-security measures to prevent escapes, protect other patients and ensure the safety of medical staff. Health-care expenses also include the costs of medical professionals, hospital visits and medications, plus the provision of food and other basic necessities.
It is deeply troubling that Israel’s citizens are forced to bear such a heavy burden, effectively paying to restore the health of those who seek to harm them and who could potentially return and murder the very people who helped them.
Despite all this, Israel’s Medical Association maintains that it must continue to treat these terrorists. In mid-2024, the Israeli Medical Association published a letter stating that “treating Hamas terrorists is our duty as doctors.”
However, the real question one must ask is this: Is Israel acting ethically when it treats terrorists, or is it behaving immorally and betraying its own citizens?
I would like to raise three critical issues at this juncture.
•First, on the principle of the sanctity and preservation of life. Does this principle apply when it comes to individuals who have actively engaged in violence and terrorism, causing immense harm and suffering to innocent civilians?
Should the values of human dignity and life be extended to these individuals, or should Israel make exceptions for those who commit horrific acts of terror?
•Second, does treating terrorists in Israeli hospitals inadvertently support their cause? In many cases, terrorists receive top-tier medical care, often saving their lives, only for them to return to their extremist and murderous activities once they recover.
•Lastly, providing health care to terrorists sends a troubling message of moral equivalence between the victims of terrorism and the perpetrators. This undermines Israel’s security interests and weakens public trust in the ethical use of medical resources.
While health care should ideally be impartial and a medical professional has a duty to save lives, society must ensure that those who inflict harm are held accountable. There must be a limit to compassion when it comes to those who commit acts of violence and state that they are determined to continue doing so.
Oshy Ellman is executive director of media and international relations for World Likud. Write: Columnist@TheJewishStar.com
