Prominent Gaza Doctor Facing Death Due to Torture in Israeli Prison, Report Alleges
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, The Israeli newspaper Haaretz has revealed that Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza, is subjected to daily assaults and torture while in solitary confinement within the regime’s prisons, facing a dire situation.
The Israeli newspaper quoted Abu Safiya’s lawyer, who stated that the doctor loses consciousness daily due to severe torture and fears this may be his final meeting before his death. The lawyer reported observing severe injuries and bruises on his body, head, around his eyes, ears, and neck, making identification difficult.
The physician is described as being in a severely deteriorated physical state, experiencing difficulty breathing and speaking, and unable to sit without losing balance. He spoke with extreme caution, fearing further mistreatment after the meeting.
Abu Safiya testified to his lawyer that he is subjected to daily beatings and violence in solitary confinement, known as “Rakaft,” at Nitzan Prison, resulting in him losing consciousness multiple times. He recounted that after each instance of losing consciousness, a medic would administer painkillers and water before the abuse resumed.
During their meeting, Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya told his lawyer, “I am truly afraid this might be the last meeting before they kill me.”
In response, Physicians for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories declared that the testimony provided by Abu Safiya’s lawyer indicates his life is in genuine danger. The organization has called for immediate permission for an independent medical examination by an official body not affiliated with the Israeli Prison Service.
The center also urged for Abu Safiya’s transfer to another prison and for him to receive urgent medical care, warning against his continued detention in the current solitary confinement conditions. Haaretz noted that the Israeli Supreme Court rejected an appeal against Abu Safiya’s continued detention last month, meaning he will remain in custody for at least another four months. Details of this decision have not yet been released due to severe media censorship in the occupied territories.
Meanwhile, Rami Abdo, head of the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, stated that Hussam Abu Safiya and Marwan Al-Hams, two Palestinian doctors held in Israeli prisons, are facing Israeli attempts at physical elimination and torture and are at risk of death. The Euro-Med Monitor requested an urgent meeting with the two doctors from the International Committee of the Red Cross on Saturday.
According to data from Palestinian prisoner institutions, approximately 9,400 Palestinian prisoners are held in Israeli jails, including 350 children, 99 women, and 3,244 administrative detainees.
Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya has been imprisoned for over eighteen months without indictment, alongside thirteen other Palestinian doctors detained from the Gaza Strip. Abu Safiya is noted as one of the most prominent Palestinian doctors who continued his work at Kamal Adwan Hospital during the Gaza war, despite his own injuries and the hospital being targeted and largely destroyed. He was arrested by Israeli forces during a second raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital in December 2024.
