Prominent Palestinian Doctor in Critical Condition in Israeli Prison, Lawyer Warns

Hussam Abu Safiya, a prominent Palestinian pediatrician and hospital director, is in critical condition in an Israeli prison, his lawyer reported after a recent visit. The lawyer, Nasser Odeh, along with doctors from the human rights organization Human Rights Israel, visited Abu Safiya on July 2nd and found him extremely weak, struggling to sit upright, and showing signs of recent injuries around his eyes, ears, and neck.

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According to Odeh, he looked extremely weak and had difficulties sitting upright. The lawyer and the doctors from Human Rights Israel also noticed traces of recent injuries around his eyes and ears and in his neck. They also say that he had difficulty breathing and speaking.

According to Odeh, Abu Safiya also had difficulty breathing and speaking. The lawyer stated that Abu Safiya, who was reportedly bound at his hands and feet, appeared anxious and repeatedly expressed fear for his life. Abu Safiya has been detained for over 18 months without formal charges. Weeks prior, during a hearing before the Israeli Supreme Court, his lawyer had already alleged that Abu Safiya was subjected to physical and psychological abuse and held in complete isolation for an extended period.

During that hearing, Abu Safiya appeared briefly via video link, looking pale and emaciated. The 53-year-old pediatrician was the director of the Kamal Adwan Hospital in the northern Gaza Strip. During the war between Israel and Hamas, he became a symbol of the healthcare services' struggle to continue treating patients amidst the violence. The Kamal Adwan Hospital was besieged by the Israeli army for 85 days.

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According to the lawyer, Abu Safiya, who was bound at hands and feet, was also anxious and reportedly said several times that he feared for his life.

Abu Safiya was arrested on December 27, 2024, by Israeli soldiers while the hospital was one of the last functioning medical facilities in northern Gaza. Since his arrest, which some describe as an abduction, he has been held without formal charges. The Israeli military claims an investigation is underway on suspicion of collaboration with Hamas, allegations that his former staff and international aid organizations working with him deny. Concerns about his well-being have been ongoing, with reports of physical abuse, denial of medical care, and lack of legal assistance surfacing early on. The Israeli Prison Service denies all accusations and refuses to release him, stating that all prisoners are treated in accordance with regulations.

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Weeks ago, after a hearing before the Israeli Supreme Court, the lawyer already complained that Abu Safiya was being physically and mentally abused and had been held in complete isolation for a long period.