Gaza chief doctor’s life at risk amid Israeli abduction, say rights groups
Rights groups have said that there are shocking indications of the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, Dr Hussam Abu Safiya being tortured and abused, as he was abducted by Israeli forces last month.
Safiya, who worked in north Gaza’s last functional hospital, is reportedly in Israel’s Sde Teiman prison, where torture, murder and rape is widespread, as reported by the Middle East Eye on January 3rd.
According to the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, Safiya’s health has worsened since being detained.
The NGO said: “Euro-Med Monitor warns of the grave risk to [Safiya’s] life, following patterns of deliberate killings and deaths under torture previously suffered by other doctors and medical staff.”
Testimonies collected by the group reportedly show that Safiya has faced abuse after Israeli forces entered the Kamal Adwan Hospital.
The abuse includes being ordered to take off his clothes, and being physically attacked and whipped with a thick wire.
The NGO also said that he was humiliated in the presence of other detainees and was transferred to various locations until he went to Sde Teiman.
Although rights groups and mainstream media have said that Safiya is situated in the prison, Israel alleges that it has “no indication” of his arrest.
On December 28th 2023, an Israeli army spokesperson said Safiya was transferred to be interrogated, following a raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital.
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Physicians for Human Rights In Israel (PHR) made an official request on behalf of Safiya’s family, but was not given any information about his location.
The army said in an email to PHR: “Based on a search, we have no indication of the arrest or detention of the subject of the request.”
But in Israeli channel 24, an Israeli army spokesperson claimed that Safiya is being investigated by the internal security agency, Shin Bet, for alleged associations with Hamas. But there has reportedly been no evidence to support this.
Euro-Med Monitor has said that there are “severe implications of Israel’s denial of Dr. Abu Safiya’s detention.” The NGO added that this is a “blatant disregard for binding legal standards.”
Israeli forces have reportedly detained thousands of Palestinians since the October 7th attacks. Most of the detainee’s have stayed in Sde Teiman.
Torture, murder and rape is rife in the prison, as MEE, CNN and the New York Times have identified cases of abuse.
During the last three months, Safiya published many videos and made a global plea to the international community to tackle Israel’s attacks on Kamal Adwan Hospital.
In a video from two months ago, Safiya said: “Instead of receiving aid, we receive tanks… which are shelling the [hospital] building.”
In October 25th, Israeli forces stormed Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia. The attack started off with airstrikes, with one hitting the facilities oxygen supply and causing the deaths of children, according to Dr. Munir al-Bursh, director general of the Palestinian health ministry, Middle East Eye reports.
Israel ordered the closure and evacuation of the hospital, as reported by Middle East Online via Reuters on December 23rd. Medics were reportedly forced to try to find a way to bring patients and staff to safety, despite their concerns that the evacuation of the whole hospital may be too difficult a task.
Middle East Eye, Middle East Online via Reuters
