‘A full year of injustice’: Son of Gaza doctor Abu Safiya demands his immediate release

One year after Israeli forces abducted Dr. Hussam Idris Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, his son has demanded his immediate release.

Marking the anniversary of his father’s abduction, Elias Abu Safiya shared a statement on X on Saturday, recalling the moment his father was taken by Israeli forces amid the destruction of Gaza’s healthcare system.

“A year has passed since the detention of my father, in this white coat, he walked alone amidst death, destruction, and in front of tanks, not because he was fearless, but because his oath and his humanity were greater than any fear,” Elias wrote.

“He refused to abandon the children and the wounded at hospital, and for that, he was detained,” he added.

Alongside his statement, Elias shared an image of Gaza reduced to rubble by Israeli attacks, saying “this image” stands as proof of his father’s courage and captures the moment that led to his unjust arrest.

“A full year of injustice has passed. Today, we ask for nothing but his freedom. Please share his story to keep his voice alive,” he wrote.

Gaza urges global action nearly a year after abduction of hospital director

Gaza

Dr. Abu Safiya was abducted on December 27, 2024, after Israeli occupation forces set fire to Kamal Adwan Hospital during their assault on northern Gaza.

Since then, he has been held in Israeli prisons for a full year, amid persistent reports of abuse, violence, and torture at the hands of Israeli prison guards.

Over this period, he has reportedly been transferred between the Sde Teiman concentration camp and Ofer prison, while Israeli authorities have repeatedly refused to provide clear information about his whereabouts or condition.

His lawyer, Ghaid Qassem, has only been allowed to meet him on rare occasions, each visit revealing a worsening state of health and visible signs of torture.

In September, Qassem reported that Dr. Abu Safiya was suffering from severe skin diseases and had lost a significant amount of weight.

“Dr. Abu Safiya and other prisoners are in dire need of dermatologists and medicines to treat widespread skin diseases and infections,” he warned.

The continued imprisonment of Dr. Abu Safiya has drawn international condemnation, particularly because of his role in documenting Israel’s systematic attacks on Gaza’s healthcare system and exposing the deliberate targeting of medical infrastructure during the genocide. Despite repeated calls for his release, Israeli authorities have ignored all appeals.

His name has appeared several times on lists of abductees proposed for release, including during negotiations for abductee-captive exchanges and under the terms of the October 10 ceasefire between the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas and Israel.

None of these efforts resulted in his freedom. Instead, days after Israeli officials indicated he might be released, his so-called “administrative detention” was extended for another six months.

“Administrative detention” is a policy Israel uses to imprison Palestinians without charge or trial under military law. Detention orders typically last up to six months but can be renewed indefinitely, while detainees and their lawyers are denied access to the evidence used against them.

Since launching its genocidal assault on Gaza on October 7, 2023, Israel has killed more than 71,000 Palestinians and wounded over 171,000, the majority of them women and children.

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