Washington: Tens of Palestinian docs and healthcare professionals are calling for fast motion to safe the discharge of Dr Hussam Abu Safia and 94 different medical employees presently held in Israeli detention.
On Monday, the Healthcare Employees Watch (HWW) and the Amnesty Worldwide UK organised a protest outdoors St Thomas’ Hospital in central London. The demonstrators demanded the unconditional launch of all detained healthcare employees, citing the appalling circumstances they endure in Israeli custody.
The protest follows an Israeli courtroom’s resolution to increase Dr Abu Safia’s detention for an additional six months beneath the Illegal Combatants Regulation, broadly condemned by human rights teams.
No less than 5 healthcare employees have died or been killed whereas in Israeli detention, and 5 others stay lacking. In accordance with the Palestinian Ministry of Well being, Israeli strikes have killed 1,722 healthcare employees previously two years alone.
HWW says that the majority healthcare employees have been kidnapped by the Israeli navy from hospitals or ambulances whereas performing their duties. Testimonies collected by the HWW describe torture, abuse and degrading remedy of Palestinian detainees in Israeli custody.
Dr Rebecca Inglis of the HWW stated, “Israel’s continued detention of practically 100 healthcare employees is in clear contravention of Worldwide Humanitarian Regulation. We’re gravely involved for his or her welfare given the in depth proof that Palestinian detainees are being tortured whereas in Israeli detention.”
Who He Is Dr Hussam Abu Safia?
Dr Abu Safia is the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in North Gaza. Israeli forces arrested him on December 27, 2024, after raiding one of many final functioning hospitals within the area.
The Amnesty Worldwide says that he has been held with out cost or trial beneath Israeli safety regulation.
Regardless of relentless bombardment and the dying of his personal son in an Israeli airstrike, Dr Abu Safia continued to guide his hospital employees, offering care to sufferers beneath excessive circumstances.
Since his detention, credible studies describe torture, bodily abuse, extreme weight reduction, denial of medical care, lack of hygiene and delayed entry to authorized counsel, all violations of worldwide regulation.
Israel’s Assault On Gaza’s Well being Infrastructure
No less than 94 % of Gaza’s hospitals have been broken or destroyed. Quite a few docs and healthcare employees have been killed. The detention of medical personnel, many seized whereas on obligation, has positioned additional pressure on the delicate well being system.
Between October 7, 2023, and October 20, 2025, the HWW documented 431 circumstances of detained Palestinian healthcare employees. Of those, 309 have been confirmed launched, together with 67 within the newest trade deal on October 13. 5 stay lacking, together with three senior physicians, one UNRWA pharmacist and one senior physiotherapist. 5 reportedly died in detention, although their our bodies haven’t been returned.
Households of twenty-two different detained employees haven’t supplied updates, and they aren’t counted among the many confirmed detained or launched figures.
Who Stays Detained
The 95 healthcare employees presently held by Israel have been detained for a median of 511 days, with some imprisoned because the early weeks of the struggle. Eighty are from Gaza, and 15 are from the West Financial institution.
From Gaza alone, the breakdown consists of 31 nurses, 17 physicians, 15 hospital assist and administration employees, 14 paramedics, two pharmacists and one medical technician. Twenty-five maintain senior roles, 50 mid-level positions and 5 are junior employees. All besides one are male.
Geographically, 36 detainees are from North Gaza, 24 from Khan Younis, 18 from Gaza Metropolis and three from Rafah.
The continuing detention of those healthcare employees highlights a wider disaster in Gaza’s medical sector and raises pressing questions on violations of worldwide humanitarian regulation.