UN inquiry demands the release of the Gaza hospital director detained by Israel
A UN inquiry has urged the release of Gaza hospital director Hussam Abu Safiya, highlighting allegations of abuse and the deterioration of his health while in detention.
A United Nations inquiry has demanded the immediate release of Palestinian doctor and Kamal Adwan Hospital director Hussam Abu Safiya, who has been detained by Israeli authorities since December 2024, highlighting growing concerns regarding reports of abuse and his declining health.
The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, expressed deep concern regarding the allegations related to Abu Safiya’s treatment during his time in Israeli custody. The commission cautioned that the reported behavior might constitute significant breaches of international law and urged for his prompt release.
Abu Safiya, the head of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, was apprehended during an Israeli military operation in December 2024. Rights organizations and his attorney assert that he has been held in custody without official charges and that his health has progressively worsened.
Physicians for Human Rights Israel reports that Abu Safiya’s condition has deteriorated significantly, raising concerns that his life may be in jeopardy if he continues to be held in detention.
In its statement, the UN commission expressed that the reported treatment of Palestinian detainees by Israeli prison authorities raises serious concerns and could constitute international crimes. It was noted that Abu Safiya’s deteriorating medical condition seems to be a direct consequence of the treatment he received while in custody.
Israel’s Prison Service dismissed the allegations, calling them false, outrageous, and completely unfounded. While the agency did not name Abu Safiya specifically, it has consistently refuted allegations that he or other detained medical personnel have experienced abuse.
Earlier this week, Abu Safiya’s lawyer claimed that the physician has faced daily abuse since his arrest and cautioned that his health is deteriorating. During a Supreme Court hearing in Jerusalem in June, conducted via video link, he appeared noticeably thinner, raising further concerns about his condition.
The UN inquiry indicated that Abu Safiya’s case exemplifies a wider trend of purported violations against Gaza’s healthcare system and medical professionals, as noted in earlier investigations. Israel has consistently dismissed those findings, alleging that the commission is politically biased and has chosen not to engage with its efforts.
On Monday, a UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention determined that Abu Safiya’s detention was arbitrary and demanded his immediate release, citing violations of several provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
