Israeli court rules to keep prominent Palestinian doctor in detention | Israel-Palestine conflict News
Israeli Supreme Court Upholds Detention of Prominent Palestinian Doctor
Hussam Abu Safia has been held without charge for more than 500 days.
JERUSALEM — Israel’s Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from Dr. Hussam Abu Safia, a prominent Palestinian physician, who has been held under the Unlawful Combatants Law without any criminal charges. The court’s ruling on Tuesday means Abu Safia remains in solitary confinement at Nafha Prison, where conditions are reportedly severe and access to necessary medical care continues to be denied, according to Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI).
Abu Safia, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, recently appealed for release via video link after spending over a year in detention. The footage, shared publicly, showed him appearing significantly thinner, and his family reported he exhibited signs of torture.
According to PHRI, Abu Safia has been detained since late 2024 after he resisted Israeli orders to evacuate the hospital, choosing instead to remain to treat patients. His detention has now exceeded 500 days.
The Palestinian Centre for Prisoners Advocacy condemned the court’s decision, arguing that it permits ongoing detention without formal charges. In a statement released on Tuesday, the organization urged for his immediate release, the provision of medical care, and an end to the arbitrary detention of medical and humanitarian personnel.
The centre called on international bodies, including the International Committee of the Red Cross and the World Health Organization, to intervene and advocate for his release.
Naji Abbas, director of the Prisoners and Detainees Department at PHRI, described the continued detention of Abu Safia as a “profound moral and legal failure.” He criticized the court for endorsing the indefinite detention of a hospital director suffering from untreated medical conditions.
Before his arrest, Abu Safia garnered attention for his video appeals urging global action against Israeli attacks on medical facilities. Notably, he led a funeral procession for his son, Ibrahim, who was killed in an Israeli drone strike near the hospital.
