The ongoing humanitarian challenges in Gaza have drawn heightened attention from international observers and human rights organizations, particularly regarding the region’s struggling healthcare system. As calls for the release of detained medical professionals grow, the complex dynamics surrounding healthcare access and infrastructure restoration come into sharper focus. This situation underscores the urgent need for collective action and solidarity towards rebuilding the health sector in Gaza.
An Israeli human rights organization, Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHRI), has recently escalated its advocacy efforts by petitioning the Supreme Court for the immediate release of 14 medical practitioners from Gaza, who have been detained without charge for over a year. The petition comes after the Israeli military’s Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir failed to respond to PHRI’s previous appeals for their release, which include an array of specialists such as pediatricians, orthopaedic surgeons, and more.
The backdrop of this situation is a two-year-long conflict that has severely compromised Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure. PHRI firmly states that the continued imprisonment of these medical professionals is impeding vital rehabilitation efforts for the healthcare system in the enclave. The organization is calling for increased international pressure to secure the doctors’ release, emphasizing the necessity of these practitioners in restoring healthcare services.
Among those detained is Dr. Hussam Abu Safia, who has been held without official charges for nearly 18 months. As the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, which was the last operational medical facility in northern Gaza, he was taken into custody during an Israeli military incursion in December 2024. Family sources revealed that Dr. Abu Safia has suffered significant health issues during his incarceration, including a weight loss of 40 kg and multiple injuries.
Advocates for Dr. Abu Safia, including his brother Muafaq, have remarked on the dire circumstances surrounding his detention, stating that his commitment to his patients was the reason for his wrongful imprisonment. United Nations experts have voiced concerns of “severe torture” experienced by him, while Amnesty International highlights that his situation reflects broader Israeli actions aimed at dismantling healthcare in Gaza, thereby creating insurmountable conditions for the Palestinian populace.
Aid organizations have reported troubling medical supply shortages in Gaza due to restrictions placed by Israeli authorities. Victoria Rose, a plastic surgeon who has worked in Gaza between March 2024 and June 2025, described the alarming state of healthcare during her visits, noting severe shortages of essential supplies, including fuel, food, water, and antibiotics.
While Israel denies accusations of intentionally targeting medical staff and claims that Hamas uses hospitals for military operations, it has not provided credible evidence substantiating such assertions. The need for humanitarian assistance and a collaborative approach to rebuilding Gaza’s healthcare system becomes increasingly urgent as the situation unfolds.
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