Full Breakdown
United Airlines Pilot Who Praised Hamas’s Oct. 7 Attack Remains in Service
By Drooid · · How we work
Controversial Post and Ongoing Flight Duties
Captain Ibrahim R. Mossallam, a United Airlines pilot, described the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas assault on Israel as “resistance by a brave people” and argued it was “not an unprovoked attack.” Despite the backlash, United continues to schedule him on passenger flights as of Oct. 5, 2026.
Review, Suspension, and Return to the Cockpit
United announced on Nov. 20, 2023 that it had removed Mossallam from service with pay while conducting an internal review. The airline did not disclose the findings of that review. A court order dated Jun. 30, 2025 in the Ruben Sanchez lawsuit against United and its union notes that Mossallam resumed flying duties after roughly one month of suspension. United has not provided a public explanation for why the pilot was cleared to return.
Official and Organizational Responses
StopAntisemitism publicized Mossallam’s Oct. 7 post in Nov. 2023 and called for assurances of passenger safety. Former White House Middle-East envoy Jason Greenblatt urged United to terminate the pilot, while ex-Trump Deputy National Security Adviser Victoria Coates expressed surprise that the airline had not more closely monitored pilots’ social-media activity. United has declined to comment on the matter when queried by journalists.
Broader Concerns About Pilot Vetting
The issue resurfaced after the Sep. 30 attempted hijacking of Flydubai Flight FZ1073, in which an Omani co-pilot tried to crash the aircraft into Tel Aviv’s airport. That incident heightened scrutiny of airline screening practices, especially for crews operating flights to or from Israel. Critics argue that Mossallam’s continued employment underscores a need for clearer policies on evaluating pilots’ extremist or violent rhetoric, even when no direct threat to passengers has been documented.