The director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in the Gaza Strip, Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, is facing a life-threatening condition while in Israeli detention, according to Physicians for Human Rights Israel.
The organization said its lawyer, Nasser Odeh, reported severe physical abuse, breathing difficulties, and repeated loss of consciousness after visiting Abu Safiya at the Rakefet detention facility inside Nitzan Prison on July 2. He was reportedly brought in shackled, showing serious injuries and extensive bruising to his head, eyes, ears, and neck.
Abu Safiya, detained since December 27, 2024, after Israeli forces stormed Kamal Adwan Hospital, was described as severely weakened and barely recognizable. He has reportedly been held in isolation after being designated an “unlawful combatant” earlier in 2025.
Physicians for Human Rights Israel warned that his condition has sharply deteriorated and called for his immediate release, along with other detained medical staff. The group also said Abu Safiya fears for his life and that his condition worsened after he challenged his detention in court.
He was injured during an Israeli strike on the hospital in November 2024 but continued treating patients despite personal losses, including the death of his son during an earlier raid. His detention has raised serious concerns over medical neglect and prisoner treatment.
