A United Nations inquiry commission has called on Israel to immediately release Dr. Hussam Abu Safia, the director of Gaza’s Kamal Adwan Hospital, who has been held without formal charges for more than 18 months.
In a statement issued Wednesday, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory said it had received credible reports alleging that the 52-year-old physician has been subjected to “continued and severe abuse” while in detention. The commission also urged Israeli authorities to provide him with immediate access to independent medical care.
Abu Safia’s lawyer, Nasser Odeh, has warned that his client’s health has significantly deteriorated, while rights groups, including Physicians for Human Rights Israel, say he has shown signs consistent with repeated physical abuse. According to the organization, the doctor appeared severely injured during a recent legal visit, making him difficult to recognize.
The commission called for the “immediate, unconditional and safe release” of Abu Safia and all medical personnel it says are being held arbitrarily by Israel.
Israeli authorities detained Abu Safia in December 2024 during operations at Kamal Adwan Hospital, along with other medical staff and patients. Israel classified him as an “unlawful combatant,” a legal designation that allows extended detention without criminal charges under Israeli law.
The UN commission said the reported treatment of Abu Safia reflects a broader pattern of alleged violations against Palestinian detainees and expressed concern that the reported conduct could amount to breaches of international law.
Israel’s Prison Service rejected the allegations, calling them “false, outrageous and entirely without factual basis.” While the agency did not specifically address Abu Safia’s case, it has previously denied claims that he or other detained medical professionals have been mistreated.
The latest appeal follows a separate ruling earlier this week by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which described Abu Safia’s detention as arbitrary and called for his immediate release, arguing that it violates international human rights standards.
According to the UN, Abu Safia is one of 14 Palestinian doctors from Gaza currently being held by Israel without formal charges. Before his detention, he had become a prominent advocate for Gaza’s struggling healthcare system while continuing his medical work despite losing one of his sons in an Israeli drone strike.
