Amid growing fears for the lives of Palestinian detainees, the family of Dr Hossam Abu Safiya is sounding the alarm following the Israeli Knesset’s approval of a death penalty law for prisoners, as his health continues to deteriorate severely inside Israeli prisons.
In a video statement, his brother revealed that Dr Abu Safiya has been subjected to severe torture, resulting in multiple rib fractures. He has lost nearly 40 kilograms due to malnutrition and beatings, and is experiencing worsening vision, all under detention conditions described as inhumane.
The family stated that the doctor, detained since December 2024, remains imprisoned without a clear legal process, despite being arrested from inside Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza while carrying out his humanitarian duties. He was wearing his medical uniform at the time and was unarmed.
Israeli authorities have classified Abu Safiya as an “unlawful combatant”, while his family insists he is a paediatric and neonatal doctor who dedicated his life to treating patients amid the collapse of Gaza’s healthcare system under war and blockade.
During the raid on the hospital on 27 December 2024, medical staff and patients were forcibly evacuated, parts of the building were set on fire, and Dr Abu Safiya was detained while still wearing his white medical coat.
His suffering did not end with his detention. His son Ibrahim was killed in an airstrike targeting the area surrounding the hospital in October 2024, and Dr Abu Safiya himself was injured during repeated attacks on the facility.
The family warns that the newly approved death penalty law could be used against him as a form of retaliation, particularly amid ongoing international silence. They are calling for urgent action to reveal his fate and ensure his safety.
The fear remains for a doctor who dedicated his life to saving children, now facing the threat of losing his own life behind bars.
As international silence continues, the family’s calls grow louder: doctors should not be punished for saving lives. Their work is a humanitarian duty that must be protected, not criminalised.
