United Nations human rights experts have issued an urgent appeal to Israeli authorities demanding the immediate release of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, a prominent Palestinian physician reportedly enduring severe torture and deteriorating health in detention.
Special Rapporteurs Tlaleng Mofokeng (right to health) and Ben Saul (counterterrorism and human rights) revealed on Tuesday that the former director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza faces ‘cruel and degrading treatment’ that has left him in dire physical condition. The medical professional, abducted from Gaza in late December 2024, has allegedly been systematically denied critical medical examinations and essential treatments despite suffering from severe scabies and cardiac complications.
According to documentation from Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI), Dr. Abu Safiya has experienced dramatic weight loss of approximately 25 kilograms since his arrest. The experts emphasized that his detention conditions appear ‘flagrantly arbitrary’ and violate the Nelson Mandela Rules—international standards unanimously adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015 governing humane treatment of detainees.
The case highlights broader concerns about Israel’s treatment of Palestinian detainees since October 2023, with rights groups documenting systematic abuses including starvation, medical neglect, physical violence, and unprecedented use of mass solitary confinement. Particularly alarming is the targeting of healthcare workers, with scores of medical professionals reportedly seized while performing their duties in hospitals.
Despite his civilian status, Israeli authorities have classified Dr. Abu Safiya as an ‘unlawful combatant’ under controversial legislation that rights groups describe as a flagrant violation of international law. This designation allows detention without formal indictment, court order, or access to legal representation.
The UN experts condemned this legal framework as violating fundamental human rights and humanitarian law, stating that ‘as Israel’s prisoner, Dr. Abu Safiya has suffered arbitrary deprivation of liberty and erosion of his right to health.’ They urged the international community to pressure Israel to release all detained medical workers and ensure their access to appropriate care, noting that violence against healthcare professionals continues despite ceasefire declarations in Gaza.