Gaza Hospital Chief Held in Harsh Condition by “Israel”

By Staff, Agencies

The director of Gaza's Kamal Adwan hospital, Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya detained by "Israeli" forces in December, is being held in inhumane conditions and faces physical and psychological intimidation.

Hussam Abu Safiya, a 52-year-old pediatrician, gained attention last year for documenting the desperate conditions in his besieged Beit Lahia hospital during "Israel's" large-scale aggression, before "Israeli" forces stormed the facility on December 27, and detained Abu Safiya along with dozens of medical staff.

The IOF accused the doctor of being a "Hamas operative".

On March 19, after months of detention, Abu Safiya's lawyer, Gheed Qassem, finally gained access to visit the detained doctor in Ofer prison, located in the occupied West Bank.

Qassem said: “He is suffering greatly, he is exhausted from the torture, the pressure and the humiliation he has endured to force him to confess to acts he did not commit."

Following an initial two-week detention period at the "Sde Teiman" base in "Israel's" "Negev" desert, where Palestinian detainees are routinely held, Abu Safiya was moved to "Ofer" prison, a facility housing hundreds of Palestinian detainees under "Israeli" custody.

The Palestinian doctor was subjected to brutal interrogations in "Sde Teiman", which included "beatings, mistreatment, and torture," before being transferred to a cramped cell in the "Ofer" prison, where he stayed for 25 days and was also subject to questioning, according to his lawyer.

According to Qassem, "Israel" have classified the medic as an "illegal combatant" indefinitely, while the “Israeli” occupation forces declared his case confidential, preventing Abu Safiya's defense team from accessing any of the case files.

The lawyer condemned the severe visitation restrictions that are being enforced, including prohibitions on sharing any information about current events, calendar dates, or even the physical location where detainees are being held. Qassem reported that her heavily monitored visit with Abu Safiya was abruptly cut short after just 17 minutes.

Qassem expressed grave concern about Abu Safiya's deteriorating health, detailing how he suffers from arterial tension, cardiac arrhythmia, and vision problems, having lost 20 kilos in just two months while enduring fractured ribs during interrogations without receiving adequate medical treatment.

“Despite maintaining his composure, the doctor continued to question what alleged crime could justify his harsh treatment under what he describes as inhumane conditions,” Qassem said.

The lawyer highlighted that Abu Safiya's jailers persistently pressured him to confess to operating on Hamas members or "Israeli" captives during his time in Gaza, accusations he firmly denies despite the severe questioning.

Qassem stressed that the doctor maintains he was solely acting as a pediatrician, performing his medical duties under moral and professional obligations to care for patients and the wounded.

She also revealed that numerous detainees have been held without formal charges or trials, with their lawyers frequently left unaware of their clients’ whereabouts during the initial months of the conflict.