DaysofPal – Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, who has been detained by Israeli occupation forces since December 2024, says he continues to endure harsh detention conditions inside the underground Rakevet prison facility and has appealed for efforts to secure his transfer from the site.
The statements were conveyed during a visit on July 14 by his lawyer, Nasser Odeh, and attorney Tamir Blank, legal adviser for the Israeli human rights organization Physicians for Human Rights–Israel (PHRI).
Abu Safiya says the conditions he described on his last legal visit have not improved. He was assaulted again by prison guards shortly after his lawyer’s earlier visit, suffering a bleeding injury to one of his fingers. He also remains held in complete solitary confinement.
Though he underwent a medical examination and X-ray imaging a few days after his prior visit, the prison administration has refused to share the results or disclose the nature of his health status to him. He added that he was given painkillers for only a few days before they were discontinued without explanation or alternative treatment.
Although a prison doctor visited him several times during the past week to monitor his condition, Abu Safiya said the visits were not accompanied by any medical treatment or further intervention, leaving his health problems unresolved while he remains in difficult detention conditions.
During the meeting, Abu Safiya also reported suffering from a noticeable problem in his right eye and requested an examination by an ophthalmologist to diagnose the condition and provide appropriate treatment.
He further appealed for the return of his prescription glasses, saying their confiscation has significantly affected his vision and daily life inside prison. He also asked that pain medication continue to be provided to help relieve his ongoing suffering.
Concerns Over Detention Conditions
The lawyers highlighted that the visitation conditions severely compromised the client-attorney privilege.
The meeting took place through an opaque barrier using a telephone receiver, while two masked prison guards stood in an adjacent room close enough to easily overhear the conversation. This setup made confidential communication impossible.
These details emerge despite claims made by the Israeli state to the High Court, in which authorities argued there are no indicators of danger to Dr. Abu Safiya’s life. The state asserted that he has been examined multiple times by medical personnel since being transferred to “Rakefet.”
However, authorities have yet to release his medical files or address the detailed reports submitted by attorney Nasser Odeh regarding the severe violence Dr. Abu Safiya suffered prior to a previous visit on July 2, 2026.
The lack of information has raised growing concerns about both his health and the conditions of his detention.
Calls for Independent Medical Examination
Physicians for Human Rights–Israel said Abu Safiya’s testimony about further violence, which he said occurred immediately after his previous lawyer’s visit, together with the harsh conditions inside the underground detention facility, requires urgent intervention.
The organization called for an independent and impartial medical and legal examination free from restrictions imposed by the detention authorities, warning that the available information raises serious concerns about his physical and psychological well-being.
PHRI also urged Israeli authorities to ensure Abu Safiya’s protection, provide him with appropriate medical care, allow independent physicians to assess his condition, transfer him out of the underground facility, and end his solitary confinement in accordance with international standards governing the treatment of detainees.
During the visit, Abu Safiya appealed to his lawyers to make every possible effort to secure his transfer from the Rakevet facility, saying his current detention conditions are worsening both his physical and psychological suffering.
Part of a Broader Legal Battle
Dr. Abu Safiya’s case is central to an ongoing legal petition filed by PHR demanding the release of 14 Palestinian doctors from the Gaza Strip. All 14 individuals are currently being held in Israeli prisons without formal charges or trial.
Israel has petitioned the court to dismiss the case without a hearing. The High Court has ordered PHR and the petitioners to submit their response to the government’s position by July 19, 2026. A definitive date for a court hearing has not yet been set.
Dr. Abu Safiya was originally arrested by Israeli forces on December 27, 2024, during a military raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, where he was actively working to keep the war-torn medical facility operational.
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