An investigation conducted by the United Nations has raised concerns over alleged mistreatment of a well-known Palestinian physician, Hussam Abu Safiya, who was detained by the Israeli military in Gaza in December 2024 and is currently held in Israel. The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, has called for the immediate release of Abu Safiya, who serves as the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in the Gaza Strip.
Reports from rights groups and Abu Safiya’s legal representative suggest that his life is at risk and that he remains detained without any formal charges, as stated by Physicians for Human Rights Israel, an Israeli human rights organization. The UN inquiry denounced the treatment of Palestinian detainees by Israeli Prison Service guards, citing concerns of potential violations of international law amounting to international crimes, with Dr. Abu Safiya’s health reportedly deteriorating due to these actions.
In response, an Israel Prison Service spokesperson denied the allegations, labeling them as false and baseless. While not explicitly naming Abu Safiya, the spokesperson dismissed previous claims of mistreatment of Abu Safiya and other medical professionals in custody.
The UN inquiry highlighted a pattern of violations by Israeli authorities towards Abu Safiya, consistent with previous reports. In a separate development, a UN rights body described Israel’s detention of Abu Safiya as arbitrary and demanded his immediate release, citing violations of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Amid these developments, Israeli airstrikes and gunfire in Gaza on Wednesday resulted in the deaths of at least nine Palestinians, including two children aged 10 and six. The incidents included an Israeli airstrike near a school in Gaza City, causing one fatality and several injuries. Another airstrike hit a displaced persons’ tent in Khan Younis, claiming four lives, including a 10-year-old child. Subsequent strikes in Gaza City led to additional casualties, bringing the day’s death toll to at least nine.
The ongoing violence in Gaza has persisted since a ceasefire mediated by the US with Hamas in October 2023. Both sides have accused each other of breaching the agreement, leading to a high number of casualties, with over 1,070 Palestinians and four Israeli soldiers reportedly killed since the ceasefire commenced nine months ago.
