Hussam Abu Safiya, former director of Kamal Adwan hospital in Gaza, has been held by Israeli authorities without charge or trial since December 2024, now more than 18 months [1, 2]. His detention is marked by severe injuries and signs of torture that have left him barely able to speak or sit upright [1, 2].
Abu Safiya was transferred through several Israeli prisons, including Ketziot and Ganot, where he endured solitary confinement and abuse, before being moved to Rakefet prison in late June 2026. His condition worsened dramatically there [1]. During a visit on July 2, 2026, his lawyer found him struggling to breathe and speak, describing his health as critical [1]. Abu Safiya himself said, "They brought me here to kill me. I don’t see myself surviving. This is the end" [1].
The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention labeled his detention arbitrary and in violation of international human rights law. It called for his immediate release and reparations, stating that "the appropriate remedy would be to release Mr. Abu Safiya immediately and accord him an enforceable right to compensation and other reparations, in accordance with international law" [3, 2].
Rights groups and his lawyer warn his life is in urgent danger due to daily brutality. Milena Ansari, director of the Palestinian Human Rights Institute, said the case "reflects a broader pattern in which the conditions necessary to realise Palestinians’ right to health are being systematically undermined" [1].
Israeli authorities have denied allegations of mistreatment. The Israeli Supreme Court declined to comment on appeals for Abu Safiya’s release [3, 2]. Abu Safiya, a prominent healthcare advocate in Gaza, had continued his work despite personal loss, including the death of a son in an Israeli drone strike [2].
He was initially detained along with other medical staff and patients in December 2024 [2]. After nearly a year and a half in detention, the UN and rights groups pressed for his release amid mounting evidence of abuse. His deteriorating health and confinement conditions remain dire, with no end to his detention in sight.
