An NHS doctor has drawn condemnation after posting on social media that the two gunmen who carried out a mass shooting in Jerusalem were "two Palestinian martyrs," days after the attack killed six people and injured more than a dozen.
The post by Dr. Rahmeh Aladwan, a trauma and orthopaedics doctor, was shared on X to her more than 33,000 followers hours after the attack, which took place at the Ramot Junction on Yigal Yadin Street during Monday morning rush hour. Harrowing footage from the scene showed people fleeing from a bus stop as shots were fired; some victims were filmed falling to the ground as panic set in. Hamas praised the attackers as "resistance fighters" and called the shooting a response to occupation policies, but did not claim responsibility.
In her post, Dr. Aladwan named the gunmen and described the incident as a "shooting operation," writing: "This morning, the two Palestinian martyrs Muthanna Amro and Muhammad Taha bypassed the occupation's fortified checkpoints and carried out a shooting operation at a settlers' bus in the 'Ramot' settlement and killed 6 settlers. Palestine has never been safe for occupiers. Leave." The account of the attack's casualties — six killed, including a pregnant woman, and more than a dozen wounded — has been widely reported.
Advocacy group Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) said the post "justifies terrorism" and accused the doctor of "dangerous and extremist rhetoric," calling for an immediate investigation and suspension. The CAA also said it had previously submitted multiple complaints to the General Medical Council (GMC) over Aladwan's social media activity and was still awaiting a response.
The Daily Mail reported that past posts by Dr. Aladwan have included praise for armed Palestinian groups and criticism of Jewish people and institutions. The article said her earlier social media content described the Royal Free Hospital in north London as "a Jewish supremacy cesspit," declared "I will never condemn the 7th of October," and showed images and captions interpreted by some observers as supportive of Hamas and its military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades. The Daily Mail also reported that she has attended pro-Palestinian protests, including demonstrations organised by the group Palestine Action before it was proscribed.
A colleague, speaking to the Daily Mail, described feeling uncomfortable and threatened by Aladwan's political displays at work, saying they had felt compelled to conceal their identity. The colleague said Aladwan wore Palestine pins and a keffiyeh on her uniform and had reacted angrily when a complaint was made. The account could not be independently verified by this reporter.
Campaigners say public expressions of support for violence by healthcare professionals undermine trust in the medical profession and could pose risks to patients. The CAA urged the GMC to take swift disciplinary action and to suspend Dr. Aladwan while it investigates. The GMC has a statutory role in overseeing doctors' fitness to practise and determines whether regulatory action is required in response to complaints.
The attack and the online responses have added to tensions and scrutiny surrounding public figures' statements about the Israel-Palestine conflict, which has seen heightened violence and polarised reactions internationally. Authorities in Israel continued investigations into the shooting and security measures in affected areas.
Dr. Aladwan and NHS England were contacted for comment, the Daily Mail reported. The GMC did not immediately acknowledge the most recent complaint, according to campaigners who have filed previous reports.
Reporting on social media posts and allegations about individuals can involve distressing or inflammatory material. This article attributes contested claims to the organizations and sources that made them and notes where allegations have not been independently verified.