Abu Safiya Suffers from Systematic Torture in Israeli Prisons
In a Facebook post, Qassem wrote: 'Dr. Hussam is not well. He has lost more than a third of his body weight since his arrest on December 27, 2024. He used to weigh 100 kg, and now he weighs no more than 60.' She added that he was severely beaten on June 24 inside Room 1, Section 24 of Ofer Prison, where he was violently struck on his chest, face, head, back, and neck for more than 30 minutes.
Qassem noted that Dr. Abu Safiya had repeatedly requested medical treatment and to be examined by a cardiologist due to his irregular heartbeat and heart muscle enlargement, but these requests were denied. His glasses, which had been delivered through his attorney, were also deliberately broken by prison authorities.
'Despite the summer heat, Dr. Hussam is still wearing his winter clothes while held underground, without any exposure to sunlight, enduring starvation, isolation, and ongoing physical and psychological torture,' Qassem said.
During her last visit on July 9, she reported that his first question was about the fate of his martyred son's body, who had been temporarily buried near Kamal Adwan Hospital due to Israeli shelling.
He also expressed sorrow over not being able to say goodbye to his mother, who passed away just ten days after his arrest.
Israeli authorities recently classified Dr. Abu Safiya as an 'unlawful combatant', a legal designation enacted in 2002 that allows Israel to detain individuals from 'hostile entities' without the protections typically afforded to prisoners of war.
Israeli Channel 13 had previously aired a video showing Dr. Abu Safiya inside the prison for the first time since his arrest, handcuffed, exhausted, and unwell.
Earlier this year, Amnesty International called for his immediate release, citing credible testimonies about horrific conditions inside Israeli detention centers, where Palestinian detainees, including medical personnel, face systematic torture and abuse.
Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, is a prominent physician in Gaza. He suffers from chronic high blood pressure and cardiac hypertrophy, yet has been denied proper medical care or specialist consultation.
In light of these revelations, human rights organizations are increasingly demanding an international investigation into his detention conditions and accountability for the Israeli occupation's systematic abuses, which may amount to war crimes under international law.
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