“We Are More Than Caregivers; We Are Witnesses": A Qualitative Study of Palestinian Nurses Navigating Dual Roles as Health-Care Providers and Survivors of Systemic Violence

AimTo explore the lived experiences of Palestinian nurses navigating their professional duties while simultaneously being survivors of the same systemic violence affecting their patients.DesignA qualitative study using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA).MethodsIn-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 registered nurses from three governmental hospitals in the West Bank and Gaza. Data were analyzed using systematic IPA procedures, guided by frameworks of structural violence and <i>sumud</i> (steadfastness). Credibility was established through prolonged engagement, member checking, and peer debriefing.ResultsAnalysis revealed three themes: (1) The Inextricable Link, describing the collapse of professional distance through shared trauma; (2) The Weight of Bearing Witness, highlighting the psychological and political burden of documenting systemic violence; and (3) <i>Sumud</i> as Clinical Practice, redefining resilience as collective resistance where caregiving becomes a political and moral act.ConclusionPalestinian nurses embody a dual identity that transcends conventional models of moral distress, revealing nursing practice as inherently politicized under occupation. Supporting these nurses requires moving beyond individual resilience interventions to dismantle the oppressive structures that create their reality.Implications for the ProfessionThe findings challenge Western models of detachment and individualized resilience. Health-care systems must recognize the political dimensions of nursing in conflict zones and support nurses not only as caregivers but as human rights witnesses deserving protection, platforms for testimony, and solidarity in advocacy for structural change.