As the plight of Palestinian detainees continues to draw international attention, the case of Dr. Hussam Abu Safia has taken a distressing turn. His son, Elyas, has urgently appealed for his father’s release, revealing that over 555 days of incarceration without charge have severely impacted Dr. Abu Safia’s health and well-being. This situation underscores the continued struggles faced by Palestinian families amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.
The son of prominent Palestinian physician Dr. Hussam Abu Safia, who has been detained by Israeli authorities without charge for over 555 days, has issued a heartfelt plea for his father’s release amidst alarming health concerns. Elyas Abu Safia, who shared his father’s dire condition in a video message, reported that Dr. Abu Safia, who serves as the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, has shown signs of severe abuse after being moved to solitary confinement in a maximum-security prison. Rights groups have voiced serious concerns regarding his well-being, stating that his life may be in jeopardy.
During a recent visit from his lawyer, Nasser Odeh, Elyas learned distressing details about his father’s state. The lawyer reported that Dr. Abu Safia was struggling to breathe and speak, with evident physical signs of torture. Elyas noted that his father’s visage bore marks of pain and trauma, notably after a recent court session in Jerusalem. Dr. Abu Safia was arrested on December 27, 2024, as part of intensified Israeli operations targeting Gaza’s healthcare system, a troubling response to growing violence in the region. Tragically, just months earlier, an Israeli drone strike had claimed the life of Elyas’s brother, Ibrahim, outside the very hospital where their father served.
In his impassioned appeal, Elyas criticized Arab and Muslim leaders for their silence, expressing disappointment at the lack of vocal support for his father’s plight. He stated that their inaction amounted to a betrayal, complicity in the suffering experienced by his family and others in similar circumstances.
Physicians for Human Rights Israel has sounded the alarm regarding Dr. Abu Safia’s deteriorating health, particularly after reports of his recent transfer to the Rakefet section of Nitzan prison. Following a visit, lawyer Nasser Odeh documented severe physical injuries, including fresh bruises and difficulty breathing, with guards escorting him while bound and surrounded by masked officers. Naji Abbas, director of the Prisoners and Detainees Department at Physicians for Human Rights, described Odeh’s findings as some of the most shocking they have encountered since the onset of the war, noting the emotional distress expressed by Dr. Abu Safia, who reportedly feared for his life.
Israeli authorities have yet to bring any official charges against Dr. Abu Safia, designating him as an “unlawful combatant,” a classification often used to detain Palestinians without trial. Advocacy groups, alongside United Nations experts, have called for his immediate release and access to necessary medical care. Dr. Abu Safia is among 14 Palestinian doctors currently being detained by Israeli forces without formal charges, raising critical questions about the treatment of medical professionals in conflict zones and the broader implications for health care access in Gaza.
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