Israeli activists gathered outside a U.S. diplomatic compound in Jerusalem on Monday to demand the release of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza. During the demonstration, protesters also called on the United States to cease its military support for Israel.
Organized by the anti-occupation group Free Jerusalem, the protest also demanded an immediate end to the conflict in Gaza and an end to the mistreatment of Palestinian detainees.
Demonstrators used banners and drum beats to express support for the Palestinian doctor and to advocate for the termination of U.S. military aid to Israel.
Protester Louis Frankenthal informed Anadolu Agency that Abu Safiya’s detention is “illegal” and noted that the doctor has faced torture, starvation, and life-threatening conditions.
“Our message is to stop the torture, stop the genocide and stop the war against the Palestinian people immediately,” Frankenthal stated.
Israeli forces detained Abu Safiya on December 27, 2024, during a raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital, an operation that involved forcing the evacuation of patients and staff and caused significant destruction to the facility.
Following his arrest, authorities categorized him under the Unlawful Combatant Law, leading his lawyer, Nasser Odeh, to file an appeal with Israel’s Supreme Court regarding his continued detention.
Odeh reported that during a recent legal visit, Abu Safiya appeared heavily guarded and shackled, suffering from severe back and neck pain following a beating during his transfer to Negev Prison. The doctor is also currently facing shortages of food and water, as well as inadequate medical attention.
Approximately 9,500 Palestinians, including women and children, are currently held in Israeli prisons. Both Palestinian and Israeli human rights organizations have raised alarms regarding detention conditions involving starvation, torture, and medical neglect, which have resulted in the deaths of dozens of detainees.
READ: Gaza’s Dr Hussam Abu Safiya may not survive and is in ‘imminent danger’, MAP warns
