The European Public Health Association (EUPHA) calls for the immediate release of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, Director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza, who has been detained by Israeli authorities since 27 December 2024. As an organisation committed to the protection of health, health workers, and the principles of public health and human rights, we are deeply concerned by reports that Dr Abu Safiya continues to be held without charge or trial and has allegedly been subjected to abuse and ill-treatment while in detention.
Dr. Abu Safiya became known internationally through his tireless efforts to maintain essential healthcare services under extraordinarily difficult circumstances. As director of one of the last functioning hospitals in northern Gaza, he continued to care for patients and advocate for the protection of health services despite severe shortages, repeated attacks on healthcare infrastructure, and immense personal loss, including the reported death of his son during the conflict. He was arrested during the raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital on 27 December 2024, together with other healthcare personnel.
EUPHA aligns itself with the position of the World Medical Association (WMA), which has called on the Israeli authorities to uphold due process and fair-trial guarantees for Dr Abu Safiya and other detained health professionals. The WMA has rightly emphasised that the right to a fair trial is a fundamental human right and that, in the absence of formal charges and legal proceedings conducted in accordance with the rule of law, detained healthcare workers should be released immediately and unconditionally.
We are particularly alarmed by reports from legal representatives who have recently been granted access to Dr Abu Safiya. These accounts describe significant weight loss and allegations of assault, beatings, and restrictions on access to adequate food, medical care, and hygiene. Such allegations demand prompt, independent investigation and full transparency regarding the conditions of detention. All persons deprived of their liberty are entitled to humane treatment and access to appropriate healthcare, irrespective of the circumstances of their detention.
The detention of healthcare professionals has consequences far beyond the individuals concerned. Health workers are indispensable to the functioning of health systems and to the protection of civilian populations during conflict. When doctors, nurses, paramedics, and other health personnel are prevented from carrying out their professional duties through intimidation, arbitrary detention, violence, or attacks on healthcare facilities, the result is diminished access to care, increased suffering, and avoidable loss of life. The protection of health workers is therefore not only a matter of individual rights but also a public health imperative.
The reported arbitrary detention and alleged mistreatment of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya raise serious concerns under international human rights law and international humanitarian law and may be relevant to ongoing investigations by competent international mechanisms, including the International Criminal Court. EUPHA reiterates that international humanitarian law affords special protection to medical personnel, patients, and health facilities. The Geneva Conventions and related legal frameworks require parties to armed conflict to respect and protect healthcare workers and to enable them to provide care impartially and without interference. These protections are essential to maintaining humanity during war and must be upheld at all times.
We therefore call upon the Israeli authorities to:
- Immediately disclose the legal basis for Dr Abu Safiya’s detention and publicly clarify any charges brought against him;
- Ensure that he has prompt and continuing access to legal counsel, family contact, and independent medical assessment;
- Guarantee humane conditions of detention and protection from any form of abuse or ill-treatment;
- Conduct any legal proceedings in accordance with internationally recognised standards of due process and fair trial; and
- In the absence of lawful charges and credible judicial proceedings, release him immediately and unconditionally.
Finally, while this statement focuses on the case of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, EUPHA emphasises that his case is part of a broader pattern of concern regarding the detention of healthcare workers in situations of conflict. We condemn the arbitrary detention, intimidation, abuse, or targeting of health personnel wherever it occurs. We call for the release of all health workers detained solely for carrying out their professional and ethical duties and urge all states to fulfil their obligations under international human rights law and international humanitarian law. Health workers must never be punished for providing care. Protecting those who protect health is a fundamental responsibility of every state and a prerequisite for safeguarding the health and dignity of populations affected by conflict.
