Detained Gaza Doctor Hussam Abu Safiya Falls Critical After 18 Months, Lawyer Alleges Abuse

Q: What secret evidence justifies holding a top Gaza doctor as an unlawful combatant?

The public record does not show what the secret evidence is. Israel’s Supreme Court said it upheld Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya’s detention under the Unlawful Combatants Law on the basis of “confidential materials” that were not disclosed to him or his lawyers, so the specific proof justifying his continued imprisonment cannot be independently assessed. What is known is Israel’s stated allegation: the IDF says Abu Safiya was detained for suspected involvement in terrorist activity, for allegedly holding a rank in Hamas, and in the context of claims that Hamas and Islamic Jihad operatives were present inside Kamal Adwan Hospital while he was its director. Outside government, NGO Monitor’s Gerald Steinberg has claimed there is visual evidence of Abu Safiya with Hamas military leaders and has alleged he was a Hamas “colonel,” but those assertions have not been publicly tested in court. That leaves a sharp gap between accusation and verifiable evidence. Abu Safiya, his family, his lawyer, medical colleagues, aid workers and rights groups deny he worked for Hamas and say he was a pediatrician and hospital director targeted without due process. Critics argue that because the evidence remains secret, neither the defense nor the public can evaluate its credibility, context or sufficiency. So the short answer is that the justification is said to be classified intelligence alleging Hamas ties, but the substance of that intelligence remains undisclosed.

3 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · Jul 5

July 2 prison visit findings showed Hussam Abu Safiya extremely weak, struggling to sit upright, with head injuries around his eyes, ears and neck and difficulty breathing, according to his lawyer and Physicians for Human Rights Israel.
Abu Safiya, 53, has been held without charge since Israeli forces arrested him in December 2024 after he led Kamal Adwan Hospital through an 85-day siege in northern Gaza.
His lawyer told Israel's Supreme Court last month that Abu Safiya endured physical and psychological abuse and long periods of solitary confinement; rights advocates have petitioned to move him to another facility.
Israel's Prison Service called the abuse allegations false and said detainees receive lawful treatment and medical care, while the military says it is investigating him for suspected cooperation with Hamas.
The case adds to wider scrutiny of Israel's detention system since the October 2023 war began, with human rights groups and the U.N. alleging systematic abuse as thousands of Palestinians remain in custody.