British-Iraqi Surgeon Barred from Gaza After Life-Saving Work, Receives Death Threats
Dr. Mohammed Taher reveals repeated bans and threats over his medical missions in Gaza, where he performed groundbreaking surgeries amid Israel’s ongoing war.
Watan-British-Iraqi surgeon Dr. Mohammed Taher has revealed that he was denied entry into Gaza twice in a row, adding that he received direct death threats if he tried to return to the besieged territory—where he had previously carried out one of his most remarkable medical achievements during Israel’s ongoing assault.
In a video posted to his official social media accounts, Taher said:“I’m back… You’re probably wondering where I’ve been? I was trying to enter Gaza again. But my request was denied twice because I’ve become a witness and a voice for the people there—to the point that I received direct threats if I entered again.”
He added:“Of course, that doesn’t stop me—it makes me even more determined to return. I won’t let them push me into silence just because I want to go back to Gaza. I have to speak out, and we all must speak out. Gaza has entered a very dangerous stage, and it’s time we unite and break the siege.”
He concluded his message by saying:“I’ve had enough. Gaza can’t bear any more silence. It’s our duty to act now.”
الجراح البريطاني العراقي محمد طاهر، الذي ذاع صيته بعدما أعاد لطفلة يدها المقطوعة في غزة : “رفضوا طلبي لدخول غزة مرتين، لأني أصبحت شاهدا وصوتا للناس هناك،. هُددت بالتصفية إذا عدت، لكن هذا لا يوقفني بل يجعلني أشد إصرارا. غزة تدخل مرحلة خطيرة جدا. يجب أن نحشد قوانا لكسر هذا الحصار”. pic.twitter.com/yCZhFppurh
— مجلة ميم.. مِرآتنا (@Meemmag) May 7, 2025
Taher, a specialist in orthopedic surgery, was born in the 1980s in Wales, UK, to an Iraqi family originally from Najaf. He rose to prominence in early 2024 when he volunteered in Gaza hospitals with the U.S.-based humanitarian organization Fajr Scientific.
During his time there, he performed hundreds of complex surgeries, including a landmark operation to reattach the severed arm of a 9-year-old girl injured by an Israeli airstrike in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza.
محمولا على الأكتاف، طبيب عراقي رفض ترك غزة أثناء الحرب ، واستمر في تقديم العلاج المصابين ، الطبيب العراقي محمد طاهر حفظه الله ورعاه الذي قدم كل ما يملك لاهل غزة 🇵🇸💔🇮🇶 pic.twitter.com/rXCcYTdxGJ
— غزة الآن – Gaza Now (@nowgnna) January 19, 2025
In a previous statement in May 2024, Taher said that the scenes of destruction and mass casualties in Gaza compelled him to join the medical relief efforts. He affirmed that the humanitarian crisis in Gaza surpassed anything he had ever witnessed elsewhere.
