Gaza's medical community is reeling after claims that one of its leading figures, Dr Hussam Abu Safiya, was severely beaten while in Israeli detention. A lawyer for the prominent doctor has described his client as being in a 'difficult physical, psychological, and mental state' following an alleged attack by five prison guards at the Rakefet interrogation facility. The incident raises serious concerns about the treatment of Palestinian prisoners and detainees in Israeli jails.
Nasser Odeh, Dr Abu Safiya's lawyer, told the BBC that during a visit last Thursday, he struggled to recognise his client due to extensive bruising and signs of physical assault. Mr Odeh alleged that Dr Abu Safiya was subjected to 'severe violence inside the prison' following an appeal against his detention at the Supreme Court in Jerusalem last month. The lawyer claimed that his client had not received any medical treatment for his injuries, which he attributed to a lack of access to healthcare services within the prison.
Dr Abu Safiya was the director of Kamal Adwan hospital in northern Gaza, which, according to the UN, was under 'near total siege' by Israeli forces before his detention. He was apprehended in December 2022 when the Israeli military forced patients and staff to evacuate the hospital, stating it was a 'Hamas terrorist stronghold.' Images circulated at the time showed Dr Abu Safiya being led towards an Israeli armoured vehicle while wearing his white doctor's coat.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that Dr Abu Safiya was detained on suspicion of involvement in terrorist activities and holding a rank within Hamas's health department. However, medical staff and international aid organisations who worked with Dr Abu Safiya dispute any claims of his cooperation with or work for Hamas. He is currently being held under the Unlawful Combatants Law, which permits the military to detain individuals from Gaza suspected of security risks for indefinite periods without formal charges.
The treatment of Palestinian prisoners and detainees in Israeli jails has drawn significant criticism from human rights organisations. In November 2023, the United Nations Committee against Torture expressed 'deep concern' over reports of 'a de facto state policy of organised and widespread torture and ill-treatment.' The Israel Prison Service consistently denies such allegations.
Meanwhile, an Israeli Supreme Court has ordered the government to provide a response by Tuesday to a petition calling for the release of Dr Abu Safiya and 13 other Palestinian doctors from Gaza who are also being held without charge in Israel. The court's decision is seen as a rare glimmer of hope for families of those detained, many of whom live in Gaza under blockade.