Israeli Supreme Court refuses to release Kamal Adwan Hospital director Hussam Abu Safiya

The Israeli Supreme Court today, Tuesday, issued a decision rejecting the request to release Palestinian doctor Hussam Abu Safiya, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in the Gaza Strip. Abu Safiya's detention has continued since late 2024 without any formal indictment being issued against him, raising widespread human rights concerns about the fate of detained medical personnel.

Human rights sources reported that the court justified its decision by relying on what it described as 'secret materials,' a pretext that prevents the detainee or his defense team from accessing or refuting the evidence. Naji Abbas, an official in the 'Physicians for Human Rights' organization, criticized this measure, considering it to perpetuate the policy of arbitrary detention without a specific time limit.

Reports indicate that Dr. Abu Safiya is one of at least 14 medical personnel from the Gaza Strip whom the occupation continues to detain under harsh conditions for more than a year. Human rights organizations confirm that these doctors face general accusations without clear legal evidence being presented before the competent courts.

Regarding his detention conditions, 'Physicians for Human Rights' revealed that Abu Safiya has been in solitary confinement for about two weeks, and signs of severe weakness and weight loss appeared on him during a court session held via video call. Despite the denial of the Israeli Prison Service, lawyers confirm that he has been subjected to physical assaults and systematic deprivation of adequate food.

For its part, the Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip and the Hamas movement denied the occupation army's claims that the doctor belonged to any military organizations, stressing that his work was purely humanitarian and medical. Abu Safiya had topped the humanitarian scene by refusing to evacuate the hospital in 2023, preferring to stay to care for premature and newborn babies under bombardment.

This judicial decision reinforces international concerns about targeting the health system in Gaza, as the arrest of hospital directors is seen as part of the pressures exerted on the medical sector. International bodies demand the necessity of providing protection for medical teams and the immediate release of detainees against whom no legal violations have been proven.

The message from this decision is clear: the possibility of depriving a doctor of his freedom indefinitely without charge or presentation of evidence in an open session.