Employee of Rolling Meadows nonprofit arrested in Gaza

A staff member of a Rolling Meadows-based health organization providing care in Gaza was among medical staffers reportedly arrested by the Israeli military at a northern Gaza hospital Friday.

Mahmoud Lubbad, a staff member with MedGlobal, a nonprofit that provides medical aid to vulnerable populations around the world, was arrested along with 30 other hospital staff members about 6 a.m. local time at Kamal Adwan Hospital, according to the organization. He also is the nursing director at the hospital.

In a statement, MedGlobal said it is “gravely concerned” by his arrest and said it “underscores the extreme dangers healthcare workers face in Gaza.”

“Our colleague Mahmoud is more than a healthcare leader; he is a lifeline. His arrest is not only a violation of humanitarian principles but a direct threat to essential medical care in Gaza,” MedGlobal Executive Director Joseph Belliveau said in a statement.

MedGlobal has sent several Chicago-area doctors to Gaza over the past year since the war in Gaza began when the militant group Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

To read the full report, visit chicago.suntimes.com.