Rights Group Warns Gaza Doctor Faces Imminent Danger in Israeli Custody
Dr. Hussam Abu Safia, a well-known Palestinian doctor and director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, has been held by Israeli authorities for over 555 days without formal charges. An urgent appeal for his release has been made by his son, Elyas Abu Safia, as a human rights organization warns that the doctor’s life is now in immediate danger.
Elyas Abu Safia, who is also a doctor, shared a video message on Sunday, describing a recent visit by lawyer Nasser Odeh to his father. The lawyer reported distressing details from the maximum-security prison. Dr. Abu Safia reportedly had great difficulty breathing and speaking. His face showed signs of severe injury and pain, with fresh bruises around his head, eyes, ears, and neck. The lawyer found it hard to recognize him due to these injuries.
Physicians for Human Rights Israel has stated that Dr. Abu Safia’s life is in severe danger, especially after he was moved to solitary confinement within Nitzan prison. The group confirmed that the lawyer’s visit on July 2 documented his critical condition, noting signs of assault, breathing problems, and repeated moments of losing consciousness. Prison guards brought Dr. Abu Safia to the visit with his hands and feet tied, surrounded by masked officers.
Naji Abbas, from Physicians for Human Rights, expressed deep concern, calling the lawyer’s testimony among the most alarming since the conflict began. He highlighted that Dr. Abu Safia himself believed he might be killed while in custody.
Israeli forces arrested Dr. Abu Safia at his workplace on December 27, 2023. This happened as attacks on northern Gaza’s healthcare system intensified. Two months before his arrest, one of his other sons, Ibrahim, was killed by an Israeli drone strike at the entrance of the same hospital.
Dr. Abu Safia has been labeled an “unlawful combatant,” a classification Israel uses to detain Palestinians for long periods without a trial. No specific charges have been filed against him.
Both Physicians for Human Rights Israel and United Nations experts have called for Dr. Abu Safia’s immediate release and access to proper medical care. He is one of 14 Palestinian doctors from Gaza currently held by Israel without formal charges. His son criticized the lack of support from Arab and Muslim leaders, calling their silence a “betrayal.”
