Rights group raises alarm over jailed Gaza doctor as courts reject release petitions

An Israeli rights group has raised fresh concerns about the health of Dr Hussam Abu Safia, the jailed director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, after saying his condition has worsened in detention. The group said two Israeli courts rejected petitions on Wednesday seeking the release of 14 Gaza doctors held without charge, as well as a request for an independent medical examination for Abu Safia. The case has drawn attention to the detention of medical staff from Gaza at a time when the territory's health system remains under severe strain.

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Physicians for Human Rights Israel said an independent review of Abu Safia's medical records showed he had lost 14kg in four months, while his haemoglobin levels had dropped and chest pain had not been properly investigated. The reviewer, Amit Tirosh, was not allowed to examine him in person, and disputed a court finding that high blood pressure was his only medical problem. The group also said the Israel Prison Service had refused to release Abu Safia's latest medical file, limiting outside scrutiny of his condition.

The rights group said the Supreme Court dismissed a petition seeking the release of the 14 doctors, including hospital directors and specialists in essential medical fields. It said the court found no grounds to intervene in the Chief of Staff's decision not to release them, despite arguments that the detentions were arbitrary and harmful to Gaza's healthcare system. According to the group, some of the doctors have been held for more than two years without being charged or brought to trial.

The petition over Abu Safia's medical review was also rejected. The case matters because Gaza's medical system has been heavily weakened by the war, leaving hospitals short of staff and struggling to maintain basic services. Detaining senior doctors without charge adds to concerns about access to healthcare in the enclave, especially when specialist care is already limited.

The dispute also highlights the legal and human-rights questions surrounding prolonged detention and the extent to which courts are willing to review military decisions during the conflict. Abu Safia was captured by the Israeli army in December 2024 during a raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital, according to the rights group. His detention has become one of the most closely watched cases involving Gaza medical personnel, in part because of his role as a hospital director.

The group said the broader pattern of detentions affects hospital directors and specialists in essential fields, which it argues further undermines the health sector. What remains unclear is whether Abu Safia will receive any further medical assessment or whether the courts will revisit the detention of the other doctors. The latest rulings leave the 14 doctors in custody, while the rights group continues to press for access to medical records and independent examinations.

The next developments are likely to focus on any new legal filings, prison medical disclosures, or changes in the doctors' health conditions.

#Gaza #HussamAbuSafia #KamalAdwanHospital #PhysiciansforHumanRightsIsrael #Israelicourts

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