NEW YORK — United Nations human rights experts on Tuesday called on Israel to immediately release Palestinian physician Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya and all other health and care workers held in what they described as arbitrary detention.
The experts said the continued detention of Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, without formal charges or trial reflects what they described as a broader pattern of targeting Palestinian medical personnel and undermining Gaza’s already devastated healthcare system.
In a statement, the independent UN experts said attacks and restrictions affecting healthcare workers were contributing to the collapse of medical services in Gaza, with severe consequences for civilians requiring urgent treatment.
The group of experts includes UN Special Rapporteurs Francesca Albanese, Tlaleng Mofokeng, Morris Tidball-Binz and Ben Saul. They called for the immediate release of Abu Safiya and all detained medical and humanitarian workers, stressing that healthcare personnel are protected under international humanitarian and human rights law.
Abu Safiya was detained by Israeli forces on December 27, 2024, during a military operation at Kamal Adwan Hospital, which the experts said was at the time the last functioning hospital serving northern Gaza. They said he was taken into custody along with other medical staff and patients under Israel’s Unlawful Combatants Law, a measure they have previously criticized as inconsistent with international legal standards.
The experts said they had repeatedly raised concerns since October 2023 over the impact of the war on civilians and healthcare infrastructure, including reports of arrests and detention of medical workers. They said they had also communicated directly with Israeli authorities regarding these concerns.
The UN experts warned that violations against medical personnel and civilian protections had reached an alarming scale, accusing Israel and its allies of failing to adequately respond to international legal obligations and previous calls from UN bodies and international courts.
They also expressed concern over reports of severe mistreatment and torture in detention, as well as reports indicating that Abu Safiya’s health condition may be deteriorating. They called on Israel to ensure he receives immediate and appropriate medical treatment.
The experts described Abu Safiya as a physician who played a critical role in providing healthcare to Gaza’s most vulnerable communities, saying medical professionals should never be treated as security threats simply for carrying out their duties.
They urged Israeli authorities to end what they described as the criminalization of medical work and to ensure the protection of doctors, nurses, and humanitarian workers operating in conflict zones.
The call comes amid continued international concern over the humanitarian situation in Gaza, where hospitals and healthcare services have faced severe damage and shortages during the ongoing conflict.
The Israeli government has previously said its military operations target armed groups and that detainees are held under security laws due to suspected involvement in militant activities. Israeli authorities have rejected allegations that they deliberately target medical personnel or civilian infrastructure.
