A recent United Nations investigation has raised concerns over reports of mistreatment of a well-known Palestinian physician, Hussam Abu Safiya, who was captured by the Israeli military in Gaza in December 2024 and remains detained in Israel. The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, along with East Jerusalem, has called for the immediate release of Abu Safiya, who serves as the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza.
Various human rights organizations and Abu Safiya’s legal representative have warned that his life is at risk, emphasizing that he is being held without any formal charges. Physicians for Human Rights Israel, an Israeli human rights group, has echoed these concerns.
According to a statement from the UN inquiry, the treatment of Palestinian detainees by Israeli Prison Service guards raises serious apprehensions about potential violations of international law, possibly constituting international crimes. They attribute Dr. Abu Safiya’s deteriorating medical condition directly to these actions.
In response, an Israel Prison Service spokesperson has vehemently denied the allegations, labeling them as false and baseless. Despite not directly naming Abu Safiya, the IPS has previously refuted claims of ill-treatment toward him and other medical professionals in custody.
Abu Safiya’s attorney recently expressed fears for his client’s well-being, citing daily abuse and health risks. During a Supreme Court hearing in Jerusalem in June, Abu Safiya appeared visibly thinner, raising further concerns about his health.
The UN inquiry highlighted a broader pattern of violations by Israeli authorities toward Abu Safiya, consistent with previous reports. In a separate incident, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention deemed Israel’s detention of Abu Safiya as arbitrary, urging for his immediate release and citing violations of human rights declarations.
Meanwhile, deadly Israeli airstrikes and gunfire in Gaza on Wednesday resulted in the deaths of at least nine Palestinians, including two young children. Health officials reported casualties from Israeli airstrikes near a school and a tent for displaced individuals. The Israeli military acknowledged targeting militants but claimed unawareness of civilian casualties.
The ongoing violence in Gaza has drawn criticism from various international bodies, with accusations of ceasefire violations and humanitarian crises. The conflict has claimed numerous lives since the ceasefire agreement, with both Palestinian civilians and Israeli soldiers among the casualties.