Lawyer warns detained Palestinian doctor Hussam Abu Safiya is in critical condition

A lawyer for Hussam Abu Safiya, a Palestinian doctor detained by Israeli forces for 18 months, says the clinician is in critical condition and has been abused in captivity, according to Physicians for Human Rights Israel. Abu Safiya, 53, previously directed Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza and became a prominent figure in efforts to treat patients during an Israel-Hamas war that included an 85-day siege of the facility, during which he released videos pleading for help before his arrest in December 2024. The Israeli military says he is under investigation for suspected cooperation with or working for Hamas and that he has not been charged. On July 2, his lawyer Nasser Odeh reported he looked extremely weak, had head injuries around his eyes, ears and neck, and struggled to breathe, and both petitioned for a transfer. Israel’s Prison Service denied abuse allegations and said detainees receive medical care under Ministry of Health guidelines.