In a move sparking global outrage, Microsoft has reportedly fired Moroccan software engineer Ibtihal Abou El Saad and her colleague Vania Agrawal after they protested the company’s collaboration with Israel—specifically its provision of artificial intelligence technologies used in the ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
According to the Associated Press on Monday, both employees were dismissed following a protest held during Microsoft’s 50th anniversary celebration last Friday, an event attended by company co-founder Bill Gates.
U.S. outlet CNBC confirmed the termination of the two employees, citing internal documents that attributed the dismissals to alleged “willful misconduct” and “insubordination.” Ibtihal, a software engineer in the company’s AI division based in Canada, was officially let go for what Microsoft described as “serious cause.”
Her protest temporarily halted the live-streamed event, attended by tech giants such as Gates and former CEO Steve Ballmer. As she was escorted out, she threw a Palestinian keffiyeh onto the stage and accused the company’s leadership of having “blood on their hands.”
Microsoft declined immediate comment when approached by the press.
The dismissals were also confirmed by the activist group “No Tech for Apartheid – No Azure for Genocide,” which has organised several campaigns against Microsoft’s $1.2 billion cloud computing contract with the Israeli government. Vania Agrawal, an American of Indian descent, was reportedly informed of her termination via email.
While Microsoft issued a general statement asserting that employee feedback is welcomed through “appropriate channels,” it warned that disruptions to company operations would not be tolerated. The firm emphasised that those who cause “significant disruption” during official business events may be asked to leave.
This is not the first time a major tech corporation has responded harshly to internal dissent over ties to Israel. In 2024, Google fired dozens of employees after they staged sit-ins at its New York and California offices to protest the controversial “Project Nimbus” contract, which provides cloud and AI services to the Israeli military. Those dismissed have since filed complaints with the U.S. National Labor Relations Board.
Ibtihal Abou El Saad’s powerful act of resistance is now being hailed as a moment of courage across pro-Palestinian circles worldwide. Her voice joins a growing movement within the global tech community, demanding accountability for corporate complicity in the ongoing atrocities in Gaza.
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