Detained Gaza doctor Hussam Abu Safiya in critical state

A prominent Palestinian doctor detained by Israel without charge for over 18 months is facing an immediate threat to his life following a severe deterioration in his health, according to human rights organizations and his lawyer. Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the 53-year-old director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, was reportedly found with serious injuries, struggling to breathe, and repeatedly losing consciousness during a lawyer’s visit on July 2.

The visit took place at the Rakefet interrogation facility, an underground unit within Israel’s Nitzan Prison. Lawyer Nasser Odeh, representing Physicians for Human Rights Israel, stated that Abu Safiya was brought to the meeting with his hands and feet shackled, escorted by masked guards. Odeh documented fresh and severe injuries and bruising on Abu Safiya’s head, around his eyes, ears, and neck, describing his client’s condition as so deteriorated he was difficult to recognize. Abu Safiya reportedly told his lawyer, “This is the last time you will see me. They brought me here to kill me. I don’t see myself alive. This is the end.”

Abu Safiya has been held since his arrest by Israeli forces on December 27, 2024, following an...