A prominent Palestinian hospital director, Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, arrested during an Israeli raid on Kamal Adwan hospital in northern Gaza, is reportedly being held at a notorious military base that also functions as a detention center, according to recently released detainees.
Dr. Abu Safiya, who has not been seen publicly since the raid on Friday, is among several medics taken into custody when Israeli forces stormed the last remaining functioning health facility in northern Gaza. Staff members at the hospital accused Israeli forces of starting a fire inside the hospital, rounding up medical personnel, and forcing them to remove their clothes in an ordeal that lasted for hours.
Israeli Military Claims of Hamas Ties
The Israeli military announced on Saturday that Dr. Abu Safiya was detained on suspicion of being a Hamas operative and claimed the hospital was used by Hamas as a “command and control center.” However, the military has not provided evidence to substantiate these allegations. Dr. Abu Safiya’s family, who issued multiple appeals regarding his whereabouts, have not received confirmation of his location.
Former detainees from Sde Teiman, a military base and detention facility in Israel’s Negev desert, suggest that Dr. Abu Safiya and other medics from Kamal Adwan are being held there. Two former detainees recently released from the facility reported seeing Dr. Abu Safiya, and a third detainee heard his name being called during roll calls.
Testimonies About Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya from Released Detainees
Ahmad Al Sayyed Saleem, 18, a former detainee from northern Gaza, told CNN he saw a doctor from the Abu Safiya family being brought into the prison. Saleem, who had been detained 42 days ago, said he recognized Dr. Abu Safiya and had been detained after fleeing northern Gaza.
Yahya Zaqout, another former detainee who was also arrested 42 days ago, confirmed hearing Dr. Abu Safiya’s name during daily roll calls but did not see him. “I heard them calling his name along with others,” Zaqout said, describing how detainees were brought to their cells and told they had been arrested alongside Dr. Abu Safiya.
Alaa Abu Banat, who was detained 43 days ago, said he recognized Dr. Abu Safiya and described the treatment of the medics from Kamal Adwan as brutal. “They treated them really badly, especially the doctors,” Abu Banat said, recounting that one of his cellmates, a doctor, had been beaten so severely that his eye was bleeding.
Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya Detention: Family’s Appeal and Concerns Over Detention Conditions
The family of Dr. Abu Safiya expressed their anguish and fear over his detention. “Sde Teiman is known for brutality and torture,” they said in a statement. “We can’t imagine what our father is going through in that place, and whether he is well or not—warm or cold… hungry or in pain.”
Dr. Abu Safiya’s family highlighted his significant role in northern Gaza, providing essential medical care amidst the devastation caused by Israeli military operations since early October. The region has faced widespread destruction, with entire families killed and vital supplies like food, water, and medical resources severely depleted.
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