Jailed Gaza hospital director faces life threat, rights group says
Physicians for Human Rights Israel said Saturday that Hussam Abu Safiya, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, is suffering from severe physical abuse and breathing difficulties that pose an immediate threat to his life, calling for his immediate release from Israeli detention.
Hussam Abu Safiya, the detained director of Gaza's Kamal Adwan Hospital, is facing an immediate threat to his life following documented evidence of severe physical abuse and repeated loss of consciousness inside an Israeli detention facility, Physicians for Human Rights Israel reported Saturday.
Physical abuse documented
Lawyer Nasser Odeh observed Abu Safiya at the Rakefet detention facility in Nitzan Prison on July 2, finding him shackled at both hands and feet and escorted by masked prison guards, the rights group said. Odeh documented serious injuries including fresh wounds and severe bruising around his head, eyes, ears and neck, with Physicians for Human Rights noting that his condition had deteriorated to the point that he was difficult to recognize.
The physician exhibited breathing difficulties and repeated episodes of loss of consciousness during the visit, according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA. Naji Abbas, head of the Prisoners and Detainees Department at the organization, stated that the lawyer's account was among the most alarming testimonies the group has received since the start of the war.
Detention and legal status
Israeli forces detained Abu Safiya on Dec. 27, 2024, after storming Kamal Adwan Hospital and forcing him out at gunpoint, rendering large parts of the facility inoperable. In February 2025, Israeli authorities designated him an "unlawful combatant" amid reports of torture and medical neglect, and he was subsequently transferred to solitary confinement on June 3, 2026, the Palestinian Prisoners Media Office announced.
Abbas said Abu Safiya's condition deteriorated sharply after he contested his detention in court, adding that the developments demand an immediate and impartial investigation. The detainee reportedly expressed fear that he could be killed in custody, with Abbas emphasizing that Israeli authorities bear full accountability for the health and safety of all prisoners.
Professional background and demands
Abu Safiya sustained injuries on Nov. 24, 2024, during an Israeli strike targeting the hospital but refused to evacuate, continuing to treat patients despite losing his son during an earlier Israeli raid on Oct. 26, 2024. His case has drawn international attention as humanitarian organizations document deteriorating conditions for Palestinian medical workers held without charge.
Physicians for Human Rights Israel renewed its call for Abu Safiya's immediate release alongside other detained doctors, urging swift international intervention to prevent further harm. The organization stated that the pattern of abuse documented in Nitzan Prison reflects broader concerns regarding the treatment of Palestinian detainees held during the ongoing conflict.
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