Gazan Doctor Hussam Abu Safiya Appears at Israeli Supreme Court After 500 Days Detention
Detention and Court Appearance of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya
Background of Detention
JERUSALEM, June 10 (Reuters) - A prominent Palestinian doctor captured by the Israeli military in Gaza in late 2024 and held in detention ever since appeared by video link at a Supreme Court hearing in Jerusalem on Wednesday.
Physical Condition and Family Concerns
Hussam Abu Safiya appeared in the video to have lost weight since being captured at a Gaza hospital, looking noticeably thinner in his face and around his abdomen. Media were briefly allowed into the courtroom before being ushered out as proceedings got underway.
Abu Safiya's brother, Muafaq, said in April that the family learned through his lawyer that he had lost 40 kg (88 lb) in prison and suffered four fractured ribs and other ailments. An Israeli rights group has said Abu Safiya is among a group of Gazan doctors held by Israel who have been denied adequate food.
Israel's prison service has denied those allegations.
Legal Proceedings
Supreme Court Hearing
The Supreme Court was hearing an appeal from Abu Safiya's lawyer, Nasser Odeh, challenging his detention. The court is expected to announce its decision later on Wednesday.
Detention Without Charge
Abu Safiya has been held without charge, according to the Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI), an Israeli rights group, for more than 500 days. His appearance before the court on Wednesday, by video link, was the first time he has been seen publicly since February 2025, the group said in a statement.
Abu Safiya was captured by the Israeli military from the Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza. The military has accused him of being a member of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, but it has not provided any verifiable evidence.
Gaza's health ministry and Hamas have denied the allegation.
Conditions and Treatment in Detention
Allegations of Mistreatment
Following the hearing on Wednesday, Odeh told reporters his client was handcuffed and shackled throughout the proceedings and said he was being held in solitary confinement.
Odeh also said that Abu Safiya was receiving medical treatment, including for what he described as severe neck and back pain caused by an assault during detention or medications for what he said was needed to treat a chronic illness.
Abu Safiya also had his eyeglasses confiscated and was experiencing vision problems as a result, and his hands were showing signs of skin disease, which Odeh said was widespread among Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons.
Israel's Prison Service did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Abu Safiya's treatment in detention.
Prison Conditions
During the hearing, Abu Safiya could be seen handcuffed and wearing a white t-shirt and grey tracksuit pants, clothing commonly worn by Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
Wider Context of Detained Palestinian Healthcare Workers
Other Detained Doctors
Abu Safiya is among 14 Palestinian doctors captured in Gaza by the military and detained for more than a year without charge. Physicians for Human Rights Israel in April called for their release, saying they had been denied adequate medical care and food and subjected to physical abuse while in detention.
Israel's Prison Service at the time said it rejected all allegations that the doctors had been mistreated in prison.
Healthcare Workers in Detention
The 14 doctors are among nearly 400 Palestinian healthcare workers, according to Physicians for Human Rights Israel, detained by Israel during its ongoing assault on Gaza, launched in response to Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel.
(Writing by Alexander Cornwell; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)
