DayofPal — The continued detention of prominent Palestinian physician Dr Hussam Abu Safiya has placed his life in increasing danger, with rights groups warning that Israel’s refusal to release him amounts to a politically motivated act rather than a legal measure.
Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) reports that keeping Abu Safiya behind bars, amid mounting concerns over his health, torture and severe mistreatment, is pushing him to “closer to death.”
The warning came as Israel’s Supreme Court ordered the government to respond to a petition demanding the release of Abu Safiya and 13 other Palestinian doctors detained from Gaza without formal charges.
The petition, submitted by Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI), argues that the doctors’ continued detention violates international protections afforded to medical workers.
Rights organizations have repeatedly raised alarm over Abu Safiya’s deteriorating health, his reported isolation, and abuse while in Israeli custody.
Aseel Baidoun, MAP’s Deputy Director of Advocacy and Communications, said extending Abu Safiya’s detention would further demonstrate that his imprisonment is arbitrary.
“Doctors are meant to be protected, not punished, for treating patients,” Baidoun said, describing the detention of a physician without charge and based on undisclosed allegations as a violation of international humanitarian law.
She also criticized the United Kingdom’s role, urging London to use its diplomatic and economic influence to pressure Israel to comply with international obligations, including suspending arms transfers and trade agreements.
MAP said Abu Safiya’s case represents a dangerous precedent, arguing that a civilian doctor and hospital director is being held indefinitely despite repeated calls from international rights organizations and UN experts for his immediate release.
“His detention is political, not legal,” Baidoun said, accusing Israel of treating the doctor as a bargaining tool in ceasefire negotiations and targeting him for documenting the destruction of Gaza’s healthcare system while continuing to provide medical care during the war.
Yesterday, Israel’s Supreme Court gave the government until Tuesday to justify the continued detention of Abu Safiya and the other doctors after repeated delays in responding to the legal petition.
The deadline comes amid growing concerns over Abu Safiya’s physical condition. Following a recent prison visit, his lawyer Nasser Odeh said the 53-year-old doctor had suffered severe injuries and was barely recognizable due to beatings and mistreatment in detention.
PHRI said Abu Safiya had endured repeated physical abuse and serious injuries, and requested that a Supreme Court judge personally visit him alongside medical specialists to assess his condition and prevent further harm.
Israeli forces detained Abu Safiya during a raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital on 27 December 2024. His family has repeatedly expressed fears over his health, particularly after he appeared in court visibly weakened and suffering from medical complications.
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