By Quds News Network
Gaza (Quds News Network)- Israel has confirmed the kidnapping of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza. The Israeli military told ABC News that Abu Safiya is being held over “terrorist activities” and is currently under investigation.
Dr. Abu Safiya is detained at Sde Teiman, an infamous detention camp in a military base in the occupied Negev Desert, according to Israeli media. The facility, established after October 7, has housed numerous detainees, including children and the elderly, amid reports of severe abuse and torture.
UN Special Rapporteurs Tlaleng Mofokeng and Francesca Albanese have called for Abu Safiya’s immediate release from his arbitrary detention. They condemned Israel’s ongoing attacks on Gaza’s healthcare system as violations of international law and acts of genocide.
The UN experts highlighted that over 1,750 Palestinian medical professionals have been killed during the genocide, with many others detained.
Abu Safiya, a symbol of resilience in Gaza, has faced immense personal tragedy caused by the Israelis, including the killing of his son and his own injury while treating patients. Despite these hardships, he remained committed to his role, refusing to leave his hospital even as Israeli forces raided it last week.
The UN experts have urged Israel to halt its attacks on Gaza’s medical infrastructure and ensure accountability for war crimes. Mofokeng and Albanese also appealed to global medical organizations to pressure Israel by cutting ties.
As international criticism mounts, Abu Safiya’s kidnapping underscores the dire situation for Gaza’s healthcare workers under Israeli occupation.
Amnesty International’s Secretary General, Agnes Callamard, stated that the rights group is “extremely alarmed by the latest information” regarding the whereabouts of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Gaza’s Kamal Adwan Hospital. She emphasized that he should be considered a victim of enforced disappearance.
4 January 2025
Source: countercurrents.org