A United Nations inquiry has expressed grave concerns regarding the treatment of a prominent Palestinian doctor detained by Israeli forces in Gaza since December 2024 and is demanding his immediate release.
The U.N. Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory stated that Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza, is reportedly suffering abuse and is being held without charge. Rights groups and his lawyer have warned that his life is in imminent danger.
The UN inquiry released a statement asserting that the actions of Israeli Prison Service guards towards Palestinian detainees raise serious concerns of violations of international law, potentially amounting to international crimes. The statement specifically noted that Dr. Abu Safiya’s deteriorating medical condition is a direct consequence of these alleged actions.
An spokesperson for the Israel Prison Service (IPS) refuted these allegations, describing them as "false, outrageous, and entirely without factual basis." While the spokesperson did not specifically name Dr. Abu Safiya, the IPS has previously denied claims of mistreatment of doctors in its custody.
Dr. Abu Safiya's lawyer reported on Monday that the doctor's health is severely compromised and that he has been subjected to daily abuse. During a Supreme Court hearing in Jerusalem via video link in June, Dr. Abu Safiya appeared visibly thinner. The UN inquiry indicated that the reported conduct towards Dr. Abu Safiya aligns with a broader pattern of violations previously identified in its reports concerning Israeli authorities' actions.
In a separate development, a different UN rights body declared Dr. Abu Safiya's detention arbitrary and called for his immediate release. This group, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, found that Israel's actions violate multiple articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Israel has consistently denied cooperating with UN inquiries, accusing them of having a political agenda against the country.
