Detained Palestinian doctor Abu Safiya faces grave risk in Israeli custody: Rights group
A Palestinian rights organization has warned that the life of prominent Gaza physician Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya is in imminent danger, noting that he has suffered severe abuse, torture, and prolonged solitary confinement while in Israeli detention.
Helmi al-Araj, the director of the Center for Defending Freedoms, made the remarks on Saturday, stressing that Israeli authorities are “deliberately targeting and systematically abusing” the doctor.
Araj went on to say that Abu Safiya’s case is “not an isolated incident,” asserting that Palestinian detainees face serious risks amid documented testimonies proving widespread and systematic torture.
He further called on the international community and human rights organizations to pursue “immediate legal action” before international courts to hold Israeli authorities accountable for their treatment of Abu Safiya and other Palestinian detainees.
Separately, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention have called for Abu Safiya’s “immediate and unconditional” release, describing his detention as arbitrary and expressing concern that his treatment may amount to violations of international law.
Abu Safiya, 52, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, was detained by Israeli forces in December 2024 alongside other medical personnel and patients and has remained in custody without formal charges for more than 18 months.
Before his arrest, Abu Safiya had become a prominent figure documenting the impact of the war on Gaza’s health system while continuing his medical duties despite the loss of a son in an Israeli strike.
The Israeli military abducted Abu Safiya after raiding the hospital, forcibly removing him at gunpoint, and rendering significant portions of the facility non-operational.
In February 2025, Israeli officials classified Abu Safiya as an “unlawful combatant” amidst allegations of torture and inadequate medical care. The Palestinian Prisoners Media Office reported on June 3, 2026, that he had been moved to solitary confinement.
Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, launched in October 2023 with US backing, has destroyed nearly 90% of the besieged region’s civilian infrastructure and killed thousands of Palestinians.
Since the ceasefire took effect on October 10, 2025, Israeli forces have continued carrying out airstrikes, shootings and demolitions across the blockaded territory.
Israel has expanded its control to around 70% of Gaza, confining Palestinians to less than 30% of the Palestinian strip.
The overall death toll from Israel’s war on Gaza since October 2023 has risen to 73,090, with over 173,500 people injured.
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