Investigators raid home of ‘kill Israelis’ nurse Ahmad Nadir as police await raw footage

Investigators have raided the home of Bankstown Hospital nurse Ahmad ‘Rashad’ Nadir, executing search warrants as they weigh up charges over the video in which he and a fellow nurse bragged about killing Israeli patients.

NSW Police are investigating after nurses at Bankstown Hospital, Rashad Nadir and Sarah Abu Lebdeh, wearing their NSW Health uniforms, were filmed declaring they refuse to treat Israeli people and would "kill them" if they presented to their ward. Picture: NewsWire

Strike Force Pearl investigators raided the home of Bankstown Hospital nurse Ahmad “Rashad” Nadir on Friday night, executing search warrants as they weigh up charges over the video in which he and fellow nurse Sarah Abu Lebdeh bragged about killing Israeli ­patients.

It is not known whether Mr Nadir was at home during the raid. Emergency services had rushed to his Bankstown home on Thursday night because of welfare concerns. He was taken to hospital for ­assessment.

It is unclear whether search warrants have also been executed in relation to Ms Abu Lebdeh.

Mr Nadir and Ms Abu Lebdeh have hired lawyers and, at the time of publication, were understood to be refusing to talk with police.

NSW Police’s Strike Force Pearl – a unit focusing on crimes of an anti-Semitic nature – launched investigations on Wednesday, with Commissioner Karen Webb saying the full, unedited version of Israeli influencer Max Veifer’s recording of the nurses would be “critical”.

On Friday morning, Veifer released on Instagram what he said was the unedited video clip, which lasts 2½ minutes – writing that he had “nothing to hide” and would send the video to police.

Reports emerged on Friday afternoon that alleged NSW Police had provided Veifer with an incomplete email address to send the footage to, a suggestion denied by the force, which said it was waiting on the influencer.

“NSW Police provided the ­correct contact details to the influencer at the centre of this inquiry,” a statement read, adding a full ­version was needed for the investigators. “Police are aware an extended version has been posted online, however, nothing has been directly provided to NSW Police. Discussions between NSW Police and the influencer remain open and ongoing.”

On Thursday, Ms Abu Lebdeh’s family told Sydney media outlets that the nurse had been “baited” and “pushed” into saying what she did. Featured only in the full version, Veifer asks Mr Nadir why he said he was “going to get killed”, asking the nurse whether “it’s because I served in the IDF”.

Serving in the Israeli Defence Forces is mandatory for every citizen of that country over the age of 18, but with some exemptions.

To Mr Nadir, Veifer asked: “Why do you think I’m gonna get killed? Maybe it’s because I served in the IDF? That’s why?” Mr Nadir responds, saying: “That’s definitely the answer, correct”.

Veifer says “that’s the reason, because I served in the IDF? What’s the issue with that?”

Then, initially out of the camera shot, Ms Abu Lebdeh can be heard responding. “Because you (Veifer) killed innocent people, that’s why (you’re going to die),” she said.

Veifer tells Ms Abu Lebdeh he was protecting his country, that “in war people die”, and that “they (Hamas) started this war”.

The female nurse responds: “So you killed innocent people to protect your country? What kind of soul do you have? You have no soul.”

Mr Nadir then appears to start comparing the 1200 Israelis killed by Hamas on October 7 to the 48,000 Palestinians killed according to figures from the Hamas-run health ministry.

“Your (Veifer’s) time will come and I hope to god…” Ms Abu Lebdeh says to Veifer, who responds by asking “who started this war?”

Ms Abu Lebdeh says that “you guys (Israel) did”.

The rest of the video is as it ­appeared in Veifer’s first upload, including Ms Abu Lebdeh’s comments that she hoped the influencer would “die a most disgusting death” and her vow to kill Israeli patients, as well as Mr Nadir’s boast that he had already sent to “hell” Israelis who had gone to the hospital.

When Veifer asked Ms Abu Lebdeh if, “God forbid”, Israeli ­patients came to her hospital, what would she do, she said: “not God forbid, I hope to God (that an ­Israeli patient comes to be tended by her)”.

The nurses disconnect when Veifer asks what they would do if a “Jewish patient” came to Bankstown Hospital.

Ms Webb said detectives would examine the unedited recording of the conversation before considering what – if any – charges could be laid. Calling it “critical” to Strike Force Pearl’s investigation, she said the diatribe appeared to be a “hate crime”, but neither Mr Nadir nor Ms Abu Lebdeh had been charged at the time of publication.

On Friday, Rabbi Mendel Kastel and senior Muslim chaplain Mohamed Elshafei went to Bankstown Hospital to meet managers and reaffirm a message of unity. “It’s important for people to know that while we had an incident here, staff (at the hospital) are committed to their care,” Rabbi Kastel said.

Mr Elshafei added: “I’m very proud to work with Rabbi Kastel ... Our mission will never change, it’s holistic care for everyone, regardless of race or religion. We are one people.”

The Ahmadiyya Muslim community “condemned” the nurses’ “vile comments”, with its medical ­association saying anti-Semitism had no place in Australia, particularly not in its health system.

“Medical professionals are entrusted with the profound responsibility of providing care and healing to all individuals, regardless of race, religion, nationality or gender,” AMMAA chairman Ata Rehman said. “This noble vocation demands an unwavering commitment to impartiality and compassion. By upholding these principles, we ensure that the sanctity of medical practice is preserved and that every patient receives the respect and care they rightfully deserve.”

The pair have been banned from practising nursing “anywhere in Australia, in any context”.

NSW Health Minister Ryan Park spoke on Friday evening with his Israeli counterpart, Uriel Busso — conveying the efforts being made to reassure the domestic Jewish community.