Hussam Abu Safiya: Fresh Concerns Raised for Jailed Gaza Doctor
An independent Israeli professor who reviewed his medical records says Gaza hospital director Hussam Abu Safiya, held without charge for nearly 23 months, could die without proper treatment. A district court has refused him an independent medical examination.
Fresh concerns raised over the health of Hussam Abu Safiya, a Gaza hospital director held in an Israeli prison without charge for nearly 23 months, say his lawyers' allies and an independent Israeli professor. Prof Amit Tirosh, who reviewed the doctor's medical records, warned that Abu Safiya's life will be at risk until he receives proper treatment.
Abu Safiya, director of Kamal Adwan hospital in northern Gaza, was detained at work on December 27, 2024. He was later held in solitary confinement at Rakefet, an underground prison. Israeli authorities have yet to bring any formal charges, nearly 700 days after his arrest.
Weight loss and unexplained injuries
Tirosh, an independent Israeli specialist, reviewed a file obtained by Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI). He said Abu Safiya's weight fell from 90kg in January 2025 to 76kg this May.
"Continuous food deprivation and weight loss, repeated beatings and injuries, with inadequate medical care, can definitely cost Dr Abu Safiya his life," Tirosh said. He noted that more than 100 prisoners died in Israeli facilities between 2023 and 2025, according to PHRI records.
Tirosh pointed to three problems he said were not adequately addressed: chest pain that was insufficiently investigated, delays in treating scabies, and a drop in hemoglobin levels. The records also documented bruising around one eye, dizziness and rib pain in July. Abu Safiya told his lawyers prison guards had beaten him, but Tirosh said the records did not explain his injuries.
"A 14kg weight loss is very alarming, even more so if the cause is unknown," he said. He added that a prison physician had described the loss as a common trend among security prisoners linked to their diet.
Courts reject release and examination
Israel's supreme court has rejected a petition to release the doctor. A district court has since rejected a separate petition to allow an independent medical examination.
The district court ruling revealed allegations by Israeli authorities that Abu Safiya had exaggerated his medical problems, set up organizations from prison, influenced other prisoners and kept international contacts. PHRI said those allegations do not justify denying an independent examination, a right protected by law.
"The bottom line is that a third party should see him and the full medical records," Tirosh said. The Israeli prison service did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Israel classified Abu Safiya as an "unlawful combatant" along with more than 375 medical workers. It has used that designation to justify prolonged detention without trial. A PHRI lawyer who visited him in the summer reported harsh conditions, untreated medical problems and severe food shortages, and witnesses said he had become almost unrecognizable.
