Four United Nations experts have called for the immediate release of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, citing reports of severe, sustained torture and life-threatening injuries during more than 18 months of detention without charge.
Abu Safiya's lawyer said the doctor met him on 2 July with visible injuries and near-unconsciousness after being transferred to Rakefet prison, where guards allegedly beat him and left him unable to breathe. Abu Safiya told his lawyer he was attacked with hammers and batons following a court appearance by video link. Israel's Supreme Court has ordered the government to respond by 14 July to a petition demanding his release.
The doctor was arrested in December 2024 when the Israeli military emptied Kamal Adwan Hospital, alleging it was a Hamas stronghold. The UN Committee against Torture raised concerns in November 2025 about a de facto policy of torture in Israeli jails.