UN Inquiry Calls for Release of Detained Palestinian Doctor as Concerns Grow Over His Health

A United Nations inquiry has urged Israel to immediately release Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the former director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, citing serious concerns about his health and reports that he has been subjected to abuse while in detention. Dr. Abu Safiya has been held by Israeli authorities without charge since his arrest during a military operation at the hospital in December 2024.

The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory said his continued detention raises serious human rights concerns and called for his immediate release. Human rights groups and his legal representatives claim his physical condition has deteriorated significantly and allege he has been tortured and denied adequate medical care.

Israeli authorities have rejected the allegations, with the Israel Prison Service maintaining that detainees are treated in accordance with Israeli law and denying claims of abuse. Israel has also accused the UN inquiry of bias in previous investigations, while the case remains part of a broader debate over the treatment of Palestinian detainees during the Gaza conflict.

The case has drawn international attention because Dr. Abu Safiya became a prominent figure during the war, repeatedly appealing for protection for patients and medical staff as fighting intensified around Kamal Adwan Hospital. His detention has since become a symbol of wider concerns about the impact of the conflict on Gaza’s healthcare system and the safety of medical workers.

The UN’s appeal highlights the continuing humanitarian and legal questions surrounding the conflict. While investigations and diplomatic exchanges continue, the commission insists that protecting medical personnel and ensuring due process remain essential obligations under international law.