DaysofPal- Lawyers for Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Gaza’s Kamal Adwan Hospital, say an Israeli court has extended his detention for another six months, alleging that the pediatrician poses a “threat to the security of the State of Israel.”
This ruling came after prosecutors submitted a “secret file” of evidence to the court, which remains inaccessible to Dr. Abu Safiya’s defense team.
The legal team representing the Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, which has been pushing for Dr. Abu Safiya’s release, stressed his innocence and asserted that he was only performing administrative and medical tasks at Kamal Adwan Hospital.
The center also revealed that Dr. Abu Safiya’s lawyers had requested access to the secret evidence, but the prosecution rejected the request, and the court upheld this decision.
“This ruling underscores the role of Israeli civilian courts in sustaining the illegal occupation of the occupied Palestinian territory and reinforcing Israel’s apartheid regime against the Palestinian people,” Al Mezan said in a statement. The center added that Dr. Abu Safiya is currently being held under Israel’s Unlawful Combatants Law.
Dr. Abu Safiya, a renowned humanitarian, gained widespread recognition for his tireless efforts during the ongoing violence in Gaza. Despite ongoing bombardments, he continued to work to save the wounded, becoming one of the most prominent doctors to provide medical care under the extreme conditions of war.
In late December 2023, Israeli occupation forces stormed Kamal Adwan Hospital in the northern Gaza Strip, arresting Dr. Abu Safiya at gunpoint after destroying the facility, rendering it inoperative. His family reported that he endured severe torture and starvation while in Israeli custody, a fact recently confirmed by a lawyer who was able to visit him.
The director of the hospital also paid a personal toll during the conflict. On October 26, 2023, during an Israeli military raid on the hospital, Dr. Abu Safiya lost his son, Ibrahim, who was killed in the attack. Dr. Abu Safiya himself was injured in an Israeli bombardment targeting the hospital, but he chose to remain at his post, continuing to care for patients despite his injuries.
Lawyer Ghaida Qassem, who represents Dr. Abu Safiya, condemned the conditions her client has faced since his arrest. She described the severe torture, intense interrogations, and forced confessions with fabricated charges.
Qassem also pointed out the restrictive nature of her visits to Dr. Abu Safiya, noting that his detention conditions have deteriorated further. During her visits, the first lasting 50 minutes on March 6 and the second lasting only 17 minutes on March 19, Qassem said the prison administration deliberately shortened the visit times as part of a repressive policy against detainees.
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