‘Abandoned and left to die’: Family of Hussam Abu Safiya says he has been betrayed by rights groups

What Happened

Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, a paediatrician and former medical director of Kamal Adwan hospital in northern Gaza, has been held without charge by Israel since his abduction in December 2024. His son Elias told Middle East Eye that the family feels betrayed by human rights groups and holds the international community accountable for his deteriorating health. On 2 July, Abu Safiya’s lawyer Nasser Odeh visited him at the underground Rakefet interrogation facility in Nitzan Prison, reporting that he was barely recognisable due to new facial and head injuries, appeared extremely weak, and struggled to breathe and speak. Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI) warned his life is in imminent danger, citing daily beatings since his transfer to Rakefet after a Supreme Court hearing in June, where visible injuries were observed. Before that hearing, four or five prison guards allegedly assaulted him with a hammer and metal batons, according to PHRI. Abu Safiya reportedly told his lawyer, ‘This is the last time you will see me… They brought me here to kill me.’ He has been held in solitary confinement, denied medical treatment, and suffers from an untreated shrapnel wound from a 2024 quadcopter shooting and an enlarged heart. Elias urged urgent international intervention, saying, ‘We have been abandoned, and Palestinians like my father are being abandoned in Israeli prison cells and left to die.’ The article notes that 14 other Gaza doctors are also detained without charge, and Dr. Adnan al-Bursh, head of orthopaedics at Al-Shifa Hospital, died in Israeli custody in April 2024 after alleged torture and rape.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The case underscores the treatment of Palestinian detainees, particularly medical professionals, amid the Gaza war and broader occupation. Allegations of systematic torture, denial of medical care, and deaths in custody—such as that of Dr. Adnan al-Bursh—intensify international scrutiny and feed into ongoing legal proceedings at the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice. The family’s sense of abandonment by rights groups and the international community highlights the perceived impunity and the high stakes of a potential fatality, which could further inflame regional tensions and diplomatic pressure on Israel.

Watch For

Monitor for any official response from Israeli authorities, including the Prison Service or IDF, regarding Abu Safiya’s condition and the allegations of torture. Track upcoming Israeli court hearings or decisions on his detention, and any appeals filed by PHRI or other organisations. Observe international reactions from UN agencies, the ICRC, and key states, as well as potential impacts on ceasefire and hostage-release negotiations. Be aware of any further deterioration in his health or death, which could trigger formal investigations or legal actions.