UN Experts Urge Israel to Free Gaza Doctor After Reports of Severe Torture

Overview

• United Nations special rapporteurs Tlaleng Mofokeng and Ben Saul called for Dr. Hussam Abu Safia’s immediate release, citing reports of severe torture and denial of essential medical care that put his life at risk.
• Abu Safia, a pediatrician and former Kamal Adwan Hospital director, has been held since December 2024 without charge under Israel’s “unlawful combatant” law, which permits detention without an indictment or normal legal protections.
• Physicians for Human Rights Israel reported he lost about 25 kilograms and suffers scabies and heart problems, and said requests for treatment were denied.
• The experts said his confinement is arbitrary and violates the Mandela Rules, a UN standard that requires people in prison to receive the same level of healthcare available in the community.
• News outlets reported no comment from Israeli authorities and noted a military allegation, made without evidence, that he held a Hamas rank, while WHO and rights groups describe a wider pattern of attacks on Gaza’s health system and the detention of medical staff.