Detained Gaza doctor appears before Israel’s Supreme Court as calls for release intensify
Jerusalem- Israel’s Supreme Court reviewed the continued detention of prominent Gaza physician Hussam Abu Safiya on Wednesday, as his appearance via video link from prison renewed calls from rights advocates and medical groups for his release after 17 months in custody without formal charges.
Abu Safiya, 53, the former director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, appeared before the court through a video connection as judges considered whether to extend his detention. No ruling had been issued by Thursday afternoon, according to Physicians for Human Rights–Israel (PHRI).
The pediatrician became widely known during the war in Gaza for documenting conditions inside Kamal Adwan Hospital during an 85-day Israeli military siege. Through videos released during the conflict, he appealed for international assistance as medical staff struggled to treat patients amid severe shortages and ongoing hostilities.
Images from Wednesday’s hearing showed Abu Safiya wearing white prison clothing and handcuffs. Observers said he appeared visibly thinner and pale, with marks visible on his arms.
PHRI said Abu Safiya was recently transferred to solitary confinement. His son, Elias Abu Safiya, said the move occurred shortly after the doctor challenged his detention through legal channels.
Israeli authorities have not formally charged Abu Safiya with a crime. The Israeli military has said he is being investigated on suspicion of cooperating with or working for Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that governs Gaza. Medical colleagues and international aid organizations that worked with him have rejected those allegations.
Following the hearing, defense lawyer Nasser Odeh conveyed a statement he said came from Abu Safiya, in which the doctor maintained that his work had been solely humanitarian and medical in nature.
Israel’s Justice Ministry did not immediately comment on the case. The Israeli Prison Service rejected allegations of mistreatment, stating that all detainees receive professional medical care and that complaints submitted through official channels are examined.
According to PHRI, 14 physicians from Gaza remain in Israeli detention. Rights organizations have repeatedly raised concerns about the detention of medical personnel during the conflict and have called for greater transparency regarding their legal status and conditions of confinement.
The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures. Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza has killed nearly 73,000 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, whose figures are widely cited by international organizations though they do not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
The Supreme Court’s decision on Abu Safiya’s detention remains pending.
