Lawyer alleges Gaza doctor was brutally beaten in Israeli jail

A lawyer for Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya has said the Palestinian medical director, who has been held without charge in Israel for more than 18 months, was subjected to violent abuse during a visit to the Rakefet interrogation facility.

Odeh told the BBC that on Thursday Dr. Abu Safiya could barely recognise him after "severe beatings" – with bruises on his face, eyes, neck and ears – and that the doctor feared for his life. The lawyer echoed the doctor’s own words: "I think someone has decided to kill me."

Israel’s Prison Service rejected the account outright, calling it "false" and claiming that all detainees receive medical care in line with ministry of health guidelines. The service said it could not provide details of detention status for privacy and security reasons.

The case has drawn international scrutiny. In November 2025 the United Nations Committee against Torture expressed concern that Palestinians in Israeli custody may be subject to organised torture. Amnesty International described the allegations as "truly horrifying."

A petition filed by Physicians for Human Rights Israel has asked the Israeli Supreme Court to order the release of Dr. Abu Safiya and 13 other Gaza-based doctors. On Tuesday, a UN working group on arbitrary detention declared the detention of Dr. Abu Safiya "arbitrary" and urged immediate release.

He was arrested in December 2024 when Israeli forces forced medical staff out of a Gaza hospital, claiming it was a "Hamas terrorist stronghold." Though the doctor holds a Hamas-linked medical rank, his employers and international aid groups deny any collaboration.

The present situation underscores the tensions in Gaza and the ongoing debate over the treatment of detainees in Israeli jails. Human rights advocates demand a transparent investigation and urgent medical assessment of the doctor’s condition.