Wed Feb 12 18:34:03 UTC 2025: ## Gaza Doctor Accuses Israel of Torture After Detention
**RAMALLAH, West Bank** – A 51-year-old Gaza doctor, Hussam Abu Safia, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, alleges he was subjected to severe torture and inhumane treatment during 47 days of detention by Israeli forces. His lawyer, Samir al-Mana’ama of the Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, detailed the accusations to Al Jazeera.
Abu Safia, arrested in December in Gaza and transferred to Ofer Prison near Ramallah, claims he was beaten, denied medical treatment for a pre-existing heart condition, and subjected to 25 days of solitary confinement and relentless interrogation. Al-Mana’ama stated that Abu Safia was also allegedly beaten with an electric stick to extract a confession, despite denying all charges. The lawyer contends there is no legal justification for the arrest and a lack of evidence against the doctor.
The lawyer further reports that Abu Safia was denied access to legal counsel and held in freezing prison cells, severely impacting his health. His arrest followed his refusal to leave his hospital during an Israeli military operation in the northern Gaza Strip, where he documented the impact of the conflict. Reports from other detainees corroborate claims of abuse within Israeli detention facilities, including the notorious Sde Teiman camp where Abu Safia was initially held.
Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh highlighted that Abu Safia’s case is not isolated, noting that hundreds of medical workers have been taken from Gaza to Israeli prisons. She underscored the significance of his family knowing his whereabouts and that he’s alive, unlike many others possibly facing enforced disappearances. Reports from the Prisoners’ Affairs Committee and the Prisoner’s Society further support claims of widespread torture within Israeli detention centers. The Israeli government has yet to respond to these allegations.
First Piper 