Gaza Health Ministry: Detained Doctor Hossam Abu Safiya in Critical Condition Amid Israeli Medical Neglect
Director of Kamal Adwan Hospital has lost 40kg and suffers from heart failure, as Gaza authorities decry torture, abuse, and deliberate denial of medical care by Israeli prison authorities.
Watan-On Monday, the Gaza Ministry of Health reported that Dr. Hossam Abu Safiya, Director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, is in critical health condition while detained in Israeli custody since December 27, 2024, suffering from deliberate medical neglect and severe abuse.
According to a statement from the ministry, which includes testimony from Abu Safiya’s lawyer, the doctor has lost 40 kilograms in prison and suffers from high blood pressure and weakened heart muscles. “His lawyer described the brutal treatment he is enduring,” the ministry said, noting that Abu Safiya has been subjected to “continuous beatings during interrogation” and deprived of proper medical attention.
Deliberate Neglect of Medical Professionals
The ministry emphasized that medical personnel detained in Israeli prisons are enduring harsh and inhumane conditions, with tight restrictions placed upon them.
Since the start of what Gaza authorities describe as a genocide against Palestinians, Israel has arrested around 360 medical workers, including highly skilled and specialized doctors, depriving the besieged civilian population of critical medical care.
Video Evidence and Legal Proceedings
In February 2025, Israeli media aired a video showing Dr. Abu Safiya in detention, shackled at the hands and feet, visibly exhausted and fatigued.
This came just days after Israeli authorities designated him as an “unlawful combatant” and confirmed that he had been tortured, abused, and denied healthcare in custody.
In late March 2025, an Israeli court upheld his six-month detention order, according to the Hamas-affiliated Prisoners’ Information Office.
A Personal Sacrifice During the War
Dr. Abu Safiya has paid a deep personal price amid the ongoing Israeli assault. His son, Ibrahim, was killed during an Israeli military raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital on October 26, 2024.
A month later, on November 24, Abu Safiya was injured in an Israeli airstrike targeting the same hospital. Despite the injury, he refused to evacuate, choosing to continue treating wounded patients.
On December 27, Israeli forces stormed the hospital, destroyed its infrastructure, and detained Abu Safiya at gunpoint, rendering the hospital out of service.
Urgent Appeal for Justice
The Gaza Health Ministry called on international institutions and human rights organizations to:
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Condemn and criminalize Israel’s practices against imprisoned medical personnel,
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Pressure for their immediate release, and
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Ensure accountability for violations of international humanitarian law.
Numerous former Palestinian detainees released by Israel since October 7, 2023, have reported systematic starvation, medical neglect, and abuse — claims supported by human rights groups.
