David Chesterman, brother of one of four soldiers wounded in Lebanon, accused Rambam Health Care Campus staff of barring families from wards, withholding food and water, and physically mistreating patients during an overnight stay. Rambam said an internal investigation found no evidence of wrongdoing and defended its multicultural staff. Defense Minister Israel Katz has ordered an immediate IDF probe and said any proven mistreatment will prompt action. The investigation is ongoing.
Brother Alleges Rambam Staff Denied Water, Mistreated Wounded IDF Soldiers; Hospital Denies Wrongdoing
View of the Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa, August 9, 2026 (photo credit: CHAIM GOLDBERG/FLASH90)
Rambam Health Care Campus has denied allegations by the brother of one of four Israeli soldiers wounded in Lebanon, saying an internal probe found no evidence that hospital staff mistreated the injured troops during their overnight stay in Haifa.
In an Instagram post, David Chesterman said his brother was sedated, ventilated and later found "begging for water" after families were barred from the ward during a night shift change. Chesterman wrote that relatives were repeatedly prevented from briefly checking on the patients and that, when he forced his way into his brother's room, he found him in pain and alleging rough handling.
"My brother was seriously wounded in Lebanon... He was sedated and ventilated and only woke up yesterday afternoon, suffering from burns all over his body, pain, fever, and hallucinations," Chesterman wrote. He added that families were removed when a night shift of Arabic-speaking staff arrived and that he found his brother "begging for water."
Chesterman also alleged that his brother said he had been turned in bed "brutally, 'like a sardine,' his head was slammed into the bed, and no one cared." He demanded to know who would take responsibility for the alleged mistreatment.
Israeli soldiers and rescue forces wait for the arrival of a helicopter carrying a wounded soldier from Lebanon at Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa, April 12, 2026 (credit: Sharon Leibel/Flash90)
Rambam responded that it takes allegations of improper treatment very seriously but that its investigation "rejected all claims of wrongdoing toward the wounded soldiers by their staff." The hospital said it "will not accept statements that disqualify or cast aspersions on the medical center's staff on the basis of their community or ethnicity" and noted it employs a multicultural workforce drawn from many sectors, communities and religions.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said he views the published testimonies "with the utmost seriousness" and has instructed the Israel Defense Forces to open an immediate and thorough investigation into the claims. "If it is found that any staff member treated the wounded soldiers in an improper or egregious manner, it will not be allowed to pass without action," Katz said.
Status
The hospital says its internal review found no evidence of misconduct. The IDF investigation ordered by the defense minister is under way. The allegations have heightened tensions around care for wounded soldiers amid the ongoing conflict, and authorities say they will pursue any substantiated wrongdoing.
Image caption: Israeli soldiers and rescue forces wait for the arrival of a helicopter carrying a wounded soldier from Lebanon at Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa, April 12, 2026 (credit: Sharon Leibel/Flash90).
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