By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

UN experts demand the release of Gaza doctor Abu Safiya, citing torture, medical neglect, and arbitrary detention without charge.

Key Developments

• UN experts report “severe torture” and denial of medical care for detained Gaza doctor Abu Safiya.
• Doctor held since December 2024 without charge under Israel’s unlawful combatant law.
• The case highlights a broader pattern of detentions and abuses against Palestinian health workers and prisoners.

UN Experts Sound Alarm

UN experts have called for the immediate release of detained Palestinian doctor Hussam Abu Safiya, warning that his life is at risk following reports of torture and medical neglect.

“We have received reports that Dr. Abu Safiya has been subjected to torture and other cruel and degrading treatment, and that his health condition remains dire,” the experts said in a statement issued Tuesday.

The statement was signed by Tialeng Mofokeng, UN special rapporteur on the right to physical and mental health, and Ben Saul, UN special rapporteur on the protection of human rights while countering terrorism.

Abu Safiya, the former director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, has been held by Israeli authorities since December 27, 2024, under Israel’s unlawful combatant law, despite being a civilian medical practitioner.

The experts described his detention as “flagrantly arbitrary” and inconsistent with international legal standards, including the Mandela Rules, which require detainees to have access to adequate healthcare.

“He has been systematically denied critical medical examination and treatment,” they said, warning that his life and well-being have been “gravely endangered.”

They further stressed that all states are obligated to protect healthcare workers and guarantee detainees’ rights, including freedom from torture and access to medical care.

“Israel must release Dr. Abu Safiya and all health care workers, and ensure they have access to appropriate medical care,” the experts said, urging international action.

Who Is Dr. Abu Safiya?

Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya is a pediatrician and neonatologist who served as director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, one of the last partially functioning medical facilities in northern Gaza during intense Israeli military operations and genocide.

He became known for continuing to treat patients under siege conditions, repeatedly warning about catastrophic shortages of fuel, electricity, medicines, and staff.

Despite opportunities to evacuate, Abu Safiya chose to remain with his patients until Israeli forces raided the hospital compound in late December 2024.

During that raid, Israeli forces destroyed parts of the facility, forcibly removed staff and patients, and detained Abu Safiya.

No formal charges have been brought against him, and no evidence has been publicly presented to substantiate claims that he posed a ‘security threat’.

Since then, his detention orders have been repeatedly renewed under a legal framework that allows indefinite imprisonment without charge or trial.

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Health Deterioration

Reports from lawyers and rights organizations indicate that Abu Safiya’s health has significantly deteriorated during his detention.

He is said to have lost substantial weight and suffers from untreated medical conditions, including high blood pressure and cardiac issues.

Accounts also describe prolonged isolation, denial of adequate medical care, and harsh detention conditions—claims that align with the concerns raised by UN experts about “systematic” medical neglect.

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Wider Pattern

Abu Safiya’s case reflects a broader pattern of detentions targeting Palestinian medical personnel since the start of the Israeli genocide in Gaza in October 2023.

Hundreds of doctors, nurses, paramedics, and other healthcare workers have been killed, wounded, or detained, often without charge, contributing to the collapse of Gaza’s healthcare system.

At the same time, Palestinian prisoners more broadly face harsh conditions in Israeli detention facilities. According to prisoners’ organizations, approximately 9,200 Palestinians are currently held, many without trial. The number does not include Palestinian prisoners from Gaza, who are estimated to be in the thousands.

Advocacy groups report widespread abuses, including torture, starvation, medical neglect, and prolonged solitary confinement.

The case of Dr. Abu Safiya has become a focal point for medical associations, human rights groups, and solidarity campaigns worldwide, which continue to call for his immediate release and for broader protections for Palestinian detainees.

(PC, Anadolu, UN News)