️ The Israeli regime has been accused by an Israeli rights group of ignoring the deteriorating health of Dr Hussam Abu Safia, the jailed director of Gaza’s Kamal Adwan Hospital, as the Israeli army continues to launch attacks on the Gaza Strip. The Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI) says an independent medical review of Abu Safia’s records shows he lost 14kg in four months, suffered a significant drop in haemoglobin, and experienced chest pain that was not properly investigated. The accusation comes as two Israeli courts rejected petitions on Wednesday seeking to release 14 doctors from Gaza imprisoned without charge and to allow Abu Safia to receive an independent medical examination.
️ Key Takeaways: Abu Safia, detained in December 2024 during a raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital, has reportedly lost 14kg and has not been allowed an independent medical exam. Israel’s Supreme Court dismissed a petition to release 14 doctors held without charge, some for over two years, citing no exceptional grounds. The Israeli regime’s prison service has refused to release Abu Safia’s latest medical file, according to PHRI.
️ The case highlights the broader collapse of Gaza’s healthcare system, which has been largely destroyed during Israel’s military campaign since October 2023. Almost 90 percent of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, and medical professionals are in severe shortage. PHRI argues that the prolonged arbitrary detention of doctors—including hospital directors and specialists—violates their individual rights and further undermines the ability to provide care. The Israeli regime’s Supreme Court maintained that the doctors’ cases had been reviewed in light of changing circumstances and the shortage, but found no grounds to intervene in the Chief of Staff’s decision not to release them.
️ Naji Abbas of PHRI said: 'Not only has he been deprived of his freedom without trial, but he is also being denied his basic right to an independent medical examination.' The reviewer, Amit Tirosh, was not permitted to examine Abu Safia in person and disputed an Israeli court’s finding that high blood pressure was his only medical problem, writing that the ruling 'does not line up with the data.' Meanwhile, sources at al-Shifa Hospital told Al Jazeera that an Israeli drone attack in western Gaza City killed a Palestinian and injured others, and another Palestinian died from injuries caused by an attack on a family home on Tuesday.
️ Gaza continues to face regular Israeli attacks despite last year’s so-called ceasefire brokered by the US regime. More than 1,600 Palestinians have been killed by Israel in the besieged enclave since the agreement, according to the territory’s Ministry of Health. The legal and medical situation for detained doctors remains unresolved, with PHRI vowing to continue advocacy for their release and proper medical care. The international community has yet to respond to the court decisions, and the fate of Abu Safia and the 14 doctors remains uncertain.
Source: www.aljazeera.com