Hussam Abu Safiya, a Gaza doctor, has been in Israeli custody without charge since December 2024, causing concern among human rights groups, colleagues, and family members. He is the 52-year-old pediatrician and director of Kamal Adwan Hospital. Abu Safiya’s family recently saw him during a Supreme Court hearing in June via video link, where he appeared visibly frail and emaciated.
According to Physicians for Human Rights Israel, Abu Safiya is one of 14 Gaza doctors detained in Israel without trial for over a year. United Nations experts and Amnesty International have urged Israel to release him and other health-care workers held arbitrarily. Abu Safiya reportedly endured daily beatings at the Rakevet underground detention facility, as witnessed by his lawyer Nasser Odeh during a visit on July 2.
Abu Safiya’s son, Elias, expressed fears for his father’s life, citing a head injury and deteriorating health. The Israel Prison Service denied mistreatment allegations, claiming they lack factual basis. Despite calls for his release, Abu Safiya remains in custody, with the Israel Defense Forces accusing him of Hamas membership without providing evidence.
International organizations have raised concerns about Abu Safiya’s treatment in Israeli custody, citing potential violations of international law. The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory has called for his immediate release. Abu Safiya’s case underscores the plight of Palestinian detainees and the need for global pressure on Israel to free him and other detained health-care workers.
