On Wednesday, Israeli courts turned down legal motions requesting the freedom of 14 Gaza physicians detained without formal accusations alongside permission for Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya to undergo an independent medical assessment.
Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI) said that authorities are ignoring the deteriorating health of Abu Safiya, the jailed director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza. The Israeli army captured the doctor on December 27, 2024, during a raid on the medical facility. Abu Safiya has since been classified as an unlawful combatant under Israeli law.
An independent medical review of Abu Safiya’s records, obtained by PHRI and conducted by Dr. Amit Tirosh, revealed a weight loss of 14kg over four months. Tirosh noted a significant drop in haemoglobin levels and chest pain that was not properly investigated, disputing a court finding that high blood pressure was the patient's only medical problem, writing that the ruling “does not line up with the data”.
“Not only has he been deprived of his freedom without trial, but he is also being denied his basic right to an independent medical examination,” said Naji Abbas of PHRI.
Court Rulings on Jailed Medical Personnel
The nation’s top court rejected a legal application for the liberation of 14 medical practitioners, which encompasses hospital directors and specialists across critical healthcare disciplines.
The Supreme Court found no grounds to intervene in the Chief of Staff’s decision to keep the doctors detained. The judiciary argued that although their files had been re-examined amid evolving conditions and physician deficits inside Gaza, no special reasons existed to warrant setting them free.
A spokesperson for the Israel Prison Service told The Guardian that the allegations are part of a broader campaign aimed at discrediting the state of Israel. The spokesperson added that the agency operates in accordance with the law and under constant judicial oversight.
Impact on Gaza Healthcare System
PHRI argued that the prolonged arbitrary detentions violate individual rights and further undermine Gaza’s healthcare system. The enclave’s medical sector faces a severe shortage of professionals following a military conflict that has damaged or destroyed nearly 90 percent of its overall infrastructure since October 2023.
Did You Know? Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya was detained by the Israeli army on December 27, 2024, during a raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza.
Questions about the detention of 14 doctors and Dr. Abu Safiya's medical condition
Why are the 14 doctors being held in Israeli prisons?
The doctors are being held without being charged or brought to trial under Israel’s Unlawful Combatants Law, which permits prolonged detention based on intelligence files and classified evidence.
What did the independent medical review find regarding Dr. Abu Safiya?
The review conducted by Amit Tirosh showed a weight loss of 14kg in four months, a drop in haemoglobin levels, and uninvestigated chest pain that contradicted findings of high blood pressure being his sole medical issue.
How has the broader healthcare infrastructure in Gaza been affected?
Gaza’s health sector has been largely destroyed during the war, with nearly 90 percent of its overall infrastructure damaged or destroyed alongside an acute shortage of medical personnel.