Detained Palestinian Doctor Faces Life-threatening Condition
WHO:
Al Jazeera - Elyas Abu Safiya, son of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, issued an urgent appeal for his father's release.
AP News - Hussam Abu Safiya, a 53-year-old Palestinian doctor and director of the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza.
AP News - Nasser Odeh, Abu Safiya’s lawyer.
AP News - Physicians for Human Rights Israel, a human rights group representing Abu Safiya.
WHAT:
Al Jazeera - Elyas stated that his father can barely breathe or speak after more than 555 days in Israeli prison.
Al Jazeera - Elyas described his father's face as disfigured from marks of torture and pain.
AP News - Abu Safiya is in critical condition and has been reported to have faced physical and psychological abuse while in detention.
AP News - He has not been charged with any crime since his arrest in December 2024.
AP News - Abu Safiya appeared extremely weak and struggled to sit upright during a visit on July 2.
AP News - He has sustained recent head injuries around his eyes, ears, and neck and is experiencing difficulty breathing.
Haaretz - Physicians for Human Rights stated that Abu Safiya is in immediate life-threatening danger.
WHERE:
AP News - Abu Safiya is detained at the Rakefet detention facility at Israel's Nitzan Prison.
AP News - The Kamal Adwan Hospital is located in northern Gaza.
WHEN:
AP News - Abu Safiya was arrested in December 2024.
AP News - He led the Kamal Adwan Hospital through an 85-day siege by the Israeli military.
AP News - A hearing regarding his continued detainment occurred last month.
WHY:
AP News - The Israeli military is investigating Abu Safiya on suspicion of cooperating with or working for Hamas, claims that staff and international aid groups deny.
HOW:
Haaretz - Abu Safiya was transferred to solitary confinement in a maximum-security prison, which has contributed to his severe health deterioration.
Haaretz - During a visit, lawyer Nasser Odeh documented severe injuries, signs of assault, and difficulty breathing, with Abu Safiya being brought in with his hands and feet bound and surrounded by masked officers.
AP News - Abu Safiya has been kept in solitary confinement for extended periods.
AP News - His lawyer and Physicians for Human Rights Israel have petitioned for his transfer to another facility.
AP News - The Israel Prison Service stated that all prisoners are held in accordance with the law and receive medical care based on Ministry of Health guidelines.
(UPDATED July 6, 2026 01:28 UTC)
Elyas Abu Safiya has made an urgent appeal for the release of his father, Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, who has been imprisoned for over 555 days and is reportedly struggling to breathe and speak. During a recent visit, lawyer Nasser Odeh observed severe injuries and signs of assault on Abu Safiya, who was brought in bound and surrounded by masked officers, highlighting the dire conditions he faces in solitary confinement at a maximum-security prison. Elyas described his father's face as disfigured from the marks of torture and pain, underscoring the urgent need for intervention.
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(UPDATED July 5, 2026 19:23 UTC)
Hussam Abu Safiya, a 53-year-old Palestinian doctor and director of the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, is currently in critical condition after facing physical and psychological abuse while detained at the Rakefet facility in Israel's Nitzan Prison. Since his arrest in December 2024, he has not been charged with any crime, and during a recent visit on July 2, he appeared extremely weak, struggling to sit upright and suffering from recent head injuries and difficulty breathing. His lawyer, Nasser Odeh, along with Physicians for Human Rights Israel, has petitioned for his transfer to another facility, citing that Abu Safiya is in immediate life-threatening danger, while the Israeli military investigates him on suspicion of cooperating with Hamas, a claim that has been denied by staff and international aid groups.