Detained Gaza hospital director Abu Safiya appeals for his release, calls detention 'unjust'

The director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, Dr Hussam Abu Safiya, has called on Israel's Supreme Court to order his immediate release, saying his detention was "unjust and arbitrary" during his first court appearance in nearly a year.

Abu Safiya appeared before the court via video link from his prison cell while handcuffed.

"My detention is unjust and arbitrary, and I demand my immediate release," his defence lawyer, Nasser Abu Odeh, quoted the physician as telling the court.

"I am a paediatrician who provides medical services and care to patients, the wounded and vulnerable people in the Gaza Strip," Abu Safiya said.

"I carried out my work in accordance with international law and humanitarian standards, and my detention is unjust and arbitrary," he added.

Harsh prison conditions

The lawyer said in a video statement following the hearing that the court decided to postpone a ruling on whether Abu Safiya's detention would continue, with a decision expected within hours or in the coming days.

The hearing marked Abu Safiya's first public appearance since February 2025, when Israeli media aired footage showing him shackled inside prison following his arrest.

Abu Safiya's appearance came days after his defence lawyer disclosed details of his detention conditions, saying the doctor is being held in harsh circumstances while shackled by both hands and feet, with limited food, no access to safe drinking water and denial of medical care.

The lawyer also said Israeli authorities transferred Abu Safiya on June 3 from Negev Prison to solitary confinement in Nafha Prison in southern Israel.

Controversial law

The Israeli army arrested Abu Safiya on December 27, 2024, during a raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital.

On February 14, 2025, the Al Mezan Center for Human Rights said Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman had ordered Abu Safiya's detention under Israel's "Unlawful Combatant Law."

The UN, the World Health Organisation, the International Committee of the Red Cross and numerous international medical and human rights organisations have called for urgent intervention to ensure Abu Safiya's safety.

According to the Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, the Israeli Knesset enacted the "Unlawful Combatant Law" in 2002, allowing authorities to detain individuals indefinitely without filing formal charges or presenting sufficient evidence before a court.

Around 9,500 Palestinians are currently held in Israeli prisons.

___

Source: TRT