UN Commission Calls for Release of Detained Gaza Hospital Director

Dr Abu Safiya, who served as Director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, was detained by Israeli authorities in December 2024.

The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel has voiced serious concern over reports that Palestinian doctor Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya has been subjected to prolonged abuse while in Israeli detention. The Commission has called for his immediate, unconditional and safe release, along with the release of all Palestinian medical personnel it says are being held in arbitrary detention.

Dr Abu Safiya, who served as Director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, was detained by Israeli authorities in December 2024. According to the Commission, credible information indicates that he has endured severe mistreatment during his detention, raising concerns about his physical condition and access to proper healthcare.

The Commission also urged Israeli authorities to ensure that Dr. Abu Safiya receives immediate independent medical care, stating that the health and safety of detainees must be protected under international law regardless of the circumstances surrounding their detention.

Commission links case to wider concerns over treatment of medical workers

The Commission said the reported treatment of Dr Abu Safiya reflects a broader pattern that it has documented in previous investigations involving Palestinian healthcare workers during the conflict in Gaza. It stated that the continued detention and alleged mistreatment of medical personnel raise serious concerns under international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

According to the Commission, people deprived of their liberty are protected from torture, cruel or degrading treatment, murder and sexual violence. It argued that allegations concerning the conduct of prison authorities toward Palestinian detainees require thorough scrutiny because they may involve serious violations of international law.

The Commission also referred to findings from its earlier reports, which concluded that Israeli security forces had deliberately killed, injured, detained and mistreated medical personnel during military operations in Gaza. Those earlier investigations characterised some of these actions as war crimes and crimes against humanity under international law.

Calls continue for accountability under international law

The Commission reiterated its previous findings that military operations affecting healthcare facilities and medical professionals formed part of what it described as a broader policy that severely damaged Gaza's healthcare system. It further referred to its earlier legal assessment, in which it concluded that actions targeting healthcare and medical personnel amounted to genocide. These are findings and allegations made by the Commission and are not judicial determinations by an international court.

The Commission urged Israel to comply fully with its obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law by releasing Dr. Abu Safiya and other Palestinians it considers to be arbitrarily detained. It also stressed the importance of protecting medical workers during armed conflict and ensuring they can carry out their duties without fear of violence or detention.

The Commission said it will continue investigating alleged violations committed during the conflict and remains committed to identifying those it believes are responsible. It added that information gathered through its investigations will continue to be shared with relevant judicial authorities as part of ongoing efforts to support legal accountability.