Dr Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, has been seen shackled and visibly weakened in a video from his Israeli prison facility, marking his first public appearance since he was detained by Israeli forces in December.
His arrest, captured in a broadcast by Israeli media, has sparked outrage worldwide, especially among his family members.
Reacting to the footage, one of Abu Safiya’s sons tweeted: “The sight of our father tied up and unable to move must call for immediate and continuous action to ensure his immediate release.”
On 28 December, the Israeli military stormed Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza, brutally detaining the prominent paediatrician at gunpoint along with over 350 individuals, many of them medical staff and patients.
The hospital, once a lifeline for Palestinians in northern Gaza, was destroyed in the raid.
Abu Safiya’s image, seen walking amidst the rubble in his white medical coat, became a symbol of Palestinian resistance on social media and among human rights activists.
The footage broadcast by Israeli media of our father, Dr. Husam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, is yet another form of psychological terrorism, adding to the torture he has endured over the past two months. It also reflects clear media distortion through the… pic.twitter.com/atwsMv2rZd
— Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya د.حسام أبو صفية (@HussamAbuSafiya) February 19, 2025
The 51-year-old was transferred to the notorious Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank, where he has been detained without trial.
His family and legal representatives allege that he has been subjected to severe torture and ill-treatment. These claims were confirmed by a recent visit from a lawyer, who documented evidence of abuse, including signs of starvation.
The doctor;s son added that “when he was asked about the Israeli prisoners, he answered that he is a paediatrician, but his answer was rephrased and deliberately distorted, despite his complete denial of all the accusations directed at him”.
Palestinian Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights claimed that on 12 February that Israeli authorities issued an order to detain him under the “unlawful combatant law”, bypassing the standard legal process.
This designation has been widely criticised as arbitrary and illegal, as it effectively denies Abu Safiya his right to a fair trial.
The Israeli government’s treatment of Abu Safiya has drawn sharp criticism from international organisations, including the United Nations and various human rights groups, who have highlighted Israel’s systematic targeting of Gaza’s healthcare system.
Hospitals in Gaza have become frequent targets of Israeli bombardment, leaving the enclave’s civilian population without access to critical medical care.
His sons condemned the Israeli media’s portrayal of their father, calling it a form of “psychological terrorism” that aims to undermine his legacy and tarnish the efforts of healthcare professionals in Gaza.
