UN Commission Urges Israel to Free Gaza Doctor Held 18 Months Without Charge
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jul 8
UN Commission Urges Israel to Free Gaza Doctor Held 18 Months Without Charge
3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jul 8
Summary
A UN inquiry commission called for the immediate, unconditional release of Hussam Abu Safia, the 52-year-old director of Gaza’s Kamal Adwan Hospital, and demanded independent medical care while he remains in Israeli custody.
Credible reports cited by the commission say Abu Safia has suffered continued severe abuse; his lawyer says his health is in grave danger, and a recent visit found him so badly wounded he was hard to recognize.
Israel has held Abu Safia since December 2024 under its “unlawful combatant” designation, which allows prolonged detention without trial; he is one of 14 Gaza doctors currently held without charge.
The Israel Prison Service rejected the allegations as false, while UN scrutiny has intensified after a separate rights body on Monday ruled his detention arbitrary and said it violated international human rights protections.
The commission said his case reflects a broader pattern of abuses against Palestinian detainees and medical personnel, after previously accusing Israel of targeting Gaza’s healthcare system since October 2023.