Geneva: A United Nations human rights body has declared the detention of Gaza-based doctor Hussam Abu Safiya as arbitrary and demanded his immediate release, amid escalating concerns over his health and safety. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention stated that Israel’s actions violated core principles outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
“The appropriate remedy would be to release Mr. Abu Safiya immediately and accord him an enforceable right to compensation and other reparations,” the panel emphasized. It further highlighted that the case, one of several submitted to the group, may reflect a systematic pattern of arbitrary detentions in the region.
The Israel Prison Service and the Israeli diplomatic mission in Geneva did not respond to requests for comment. Israel also failed to provide a formal response to the UN working group during its initial inquiry in July last year.
According to MENA Rights Group, the 52-year-old pediatrician and hospital director has been in custody since December 2024, facing repeated solitary confinement, extended interrogations, and physical abuse including baton strikes and electric shocks. His lawyer, Nasser Odeh, warned that his health is in critical condition, citing visible deterioration in video footage from a Supreme Court hearing. “If Dr. Abu Safiya dies in that cell, it will be murder, and everyone who had the power to stop it — and did nothing — will be complicit,” said Steve Cutts, CEO of Medical Aid for Palestinians.
The Israel Prison Service has previously denied allegations of mistreatment involving Abu Safiya and other detained medical professionals. Israel’s Supreme Court recently upheld his detention, citing confidential materials under legislation governing unlawful combatants, which permits indefinite renewals. The military has accused Abu Safiya of Hamas affiliation, a claim denied by both the Gaza health ministry and the group itself.
At least 14 doctors from Gaza remain detained without charges for over a year. Tanya Boulakovski, research lead at MENA Rights Group, described the case as representative of “Israel’s systematic targeting of Palestinian healthcare workers, which has contributed to the collapse of Gaza’s healthcare system.” In 2023, Abu Safiya was among doctors who defied military orders to evacuate infants under their care.
The UN working group’s rulings are non-binding but often serve as critical evidence in international legal proceedings.
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