Israel must immediately release Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya: UN experts (Press Release)
UN experts are calling for the immediate release of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, who has been detained by Israel. The experts allege that his detention is part of a systematic targeting of Palestinian health workers and the destruction of Gaza's healthcare system.
Why it matters
This highlights ongoing international concerns regarding the treatment of medical personnel and the status of healthcare infrastructure in conflict zones.
UN experts* today urged Israel to immediately release Palestinian Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya and all the health and care workers arbitrarily detained.
“Dr. Abu Safiya’s ongoing arbitrary detention without charges or trial is a reflection of Israel’s systematic targeting of Palestinian health workers and the continuing decimation of the health care system in Gaza in order to inflict conditions to bring about the mental and physical destruction of Palestinians,” the UN experts said.
On 27 December 2024, Kamal Adwan Hospital was the last functioning hospital in North Gaza. “The hospital’s director, Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya along with other medical staff and patients were illegally detained by Israel on the basis of the abusive Unlawful Combatants’ Law”, the experts said. They have previously raised concern regarding the compatibility of this Law and subsequent amendments with international humanitarian law and international human rights law.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in