The Palestinian Ministry of Health has urgently called for the immediate release of Dr. Husam Abu Safiya, and all other medical personnel currently detained in Israeli prisons after being abducted by the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the ministry reiterated its appeal to international health organizations, humanitarian groups, and human rights institutions for swift intervention to secure their release.
The ministry highlighted that Dr. Abu Safiya, and his imprisoned colleagues, face oppressive and brutal conditions in Israeli prisons. This information was confirmed by a lawyer from the Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights who visited Dr. Abu Safiya at Ofer Prison on Tuesday evening.
According to the ministry, Dr. Abu Safiya reported losing approximately 15 kilograms and suffering from an enlarged heart muscle. Despite his repeated requests, he has not been seen by a specialist or received necessary treatment.
“He was beaten with an electric stick and the fists of Israeli soldiers.”
Dr. Hussam Abu Safia, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, told his lawyers about the torture he endured during his detention by Israeli forces last year and that he is still being denied medication. pic.twitter.com/VmHv0Nw4Om
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) February 13, 2025
During his initial detention and transfer from the Gaza Strip, Dr. Abu Safiya was forced to strip, had his hands bound, and was made to sit on sharp gravel for about 5 hours. He endured electric shocks and chest beatings.
He was held for 25 days, including 10 days of almost continuous interrogation, during which he fainted due to suffocation in his cell. Dr. Abu Safiya denied all charges against him, asserting that he is a doctor dedicated to treating patients and the wounded, and also serves as the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital.
The ministry condemned the repeated assaults on medical staff, emphasizing that such actions are severe violations of international law and the protections granted to medical teams under the Second Protocol of the Fourth Geneva Convention. The ministry called on the international community to act swiftly to secure the immediate release of Palestinian medical personnel.
The Health Ministry also noted that Dr. Abu Safiya was detained on December 27, 2024, from Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, along with several workers, doctors, and civilians. The detainees face extremely harsh conditions due to the practices inside Israeli prisons, adding to the daily violations of international and humanitarian laws and norms.
On Wednesday, the Health Ministry issued a statement updating the number of slain Palestinians in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, to 48,222, including 17,881 children and 12,298 women. It added that the number of injured Palestinians in the coastal enclave is 111,674, in addition to the thousands of Palestinians who remain under the rubble.
It is worth mentioning that, over the last 24 hours, Israeli soldiers killed one Palestinian and injured nine in the Gaza Strip, while rescue teams located the corpses of two Palestinians from the rubble of bombarded homes.
