Key facts
- An Israeli medical NGO, Physicians for Human Rights Israel, has raised concerns about the life-threatening condition of Gaza hospital director Hussam Abu Safiya.
- Abu Safiya was detained by Israeli forces on December 27, 2024, during a raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital.
- His lawyer reported a severe deterioration in his health, including significant weight loss and denial of treatment for scabies.
- He is being held under Israel's "Unlawful Combatant Law", which allows for indefinite detention without formal charges.
- Abu Safiya has not been brought before a judge or informed of charges since March.
An Israeli medical NGO has warned that the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, is in immediate danger to his life while in Israeli detention. Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI) stated that Abu Safiya's lawyer visited him at the Rakefet interrogation facility in Nitzan Prison and reported a sharp decline in his health, to the point of tangible danger.
PHRI called for his immediate transfer from the facility and an urgent judicial visit to assess his condition. Israeli forces seized Abu Safiya on December 27, 2024, during a raid on the hospital. He has been held under Israel's "Unlawful Combatant Law," which allows for indefinite detention without formal charges and denies detainees protections under the Geneva Conventions.
According to PHRI, Abu Safiya lost approximately 25 kilograms since his arrest due to insufficient food, was subjected to violence during cell searches, and was denied treatment for scabies. The group also noted that he has not been brought before a judge, interrogated, or informed of the grounds for his detention since March.
Abu Safiya had refused Israeli forced displacement orders to leave the hospital, choosing instead to remain with his patients. He gained recognition for video appeals urging international action to protect Gaza's medical facilities. The World Health Organization and Amnesty International have previously called for his release.