Israeli forces arrested Dr Hussam in December 2024 during a raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital [GETTY]
An Israeli court on Tuesday extended the detention of renowned Palestinian doctor Dr Hussam Abu Safiya without any charges or trial, as calls for his release grew after more than a year in Israeli prison under harsh conditions.
The Beersheba District Court approved the extension under the Unlawful Combatants Law without filing any charges, and rejected the defence’s request for his immediate release, rights group Physicians for Human Rights in Israel (PHRI) said in a statement.
The Unlawful Combatants Law allows Israeli authorities to detain Palestinians from Gaza for prolonged periods without trial. The defence argued that detaining a doctor while carrying out his duties constitutes unlawful detention.
“The extension of Dr Hussam Abu Safiya’s detention is another crime added to the crimes of the occupation,” Dr Mohammed Abu Selmaya, medical director of Al-Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza City and a friend and colleague of Dr Hussam, told The New Arab.
“His rightful place is in the hospital, not in detention centres.”
While the court initially extended Dr Hussam’s detention for six months in October 2025, the group said authorities indicated that the latest extension was “indefinite”.
PHRI added that the doctor is currently being held in Negev Prison, a facility it says is known for severe abuse and harsh conditions.
Health officials in Gaza say his case reflects a wider impact on the medical sector. Dr Munir Abdullah Al-Bursh told The New Arab that the Ministry of Health has been heavily affected by the arrest of its personnel, with 380 healthcare workers detained and 86 still in custody, including some of its most prominent staff, foremost among them Dr Hussam Abu Safiya.
He said Dr Hussam is enduring extremely difficult conditions in detention, including a lack of access to necessary medication, deprivation of treatment and skin diseases, adding that he has suffered severe and alarming weight loss. He also stressed that the detention of healthcare workers has had a direct and serious impact on the delivery of essential health services.
Dr Selmaya also said he has been in contact with the doctor’s family, who reported that his health was poor.
“We appeal to the international community, human rights organisations, and medical associations to pressure the occupation to secure the release of Dr Hussam Abu Safiya,” he added.
The rights group said: “Dr Abu Safiya is currently held in Negev Prison under harsh conditions, without access to his medication or receiving medical treatment, despite the deterioration of his health.”
PHRI previously raised concerns last year that the doctor’s health was deteriorating.
The doctor’s lawyer said he has been subjected to intense investigations, including psychological pressure and physical strain, and suffered an eye injury. Images circulated in February showed him shackled and handled by armed Israeli officers.
Despite repeated calls from international and Palestinian rights groups, as well as colleagues and family members, for his release, Israel continues to keep him detained.
Israeli forces arrested Dr Hussam in December 2024 during a raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital, where he serves as director and was treating wounded and sick patients.
While Israeli authorities claim he is being investigated over “terrorist activity”, no charges have been filed.
Despite the ongoing war, the doctor continued to perform his duties, treating patients wounded in Israeli attacks, including after his son was killed in an airstrike.
An image described as the “last photo” of the doctor before his detention shows him walking through the rubble of Kamal Adwan Hospital, with tanks and soldiers in the background after Israeli forces raided the site, and has since been seen as a symbol of defiance and medical duty during the Gaza war.
