A United Nations inquiry on Wednesday called for the immediate release of prominent Palestinian doctor Hussam Abu Safiya, expressing concern over reports that he has been abused while in Israeli detention since his arrest in Gaza in December 2024.
The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, said the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital remains detained without charge and warned that his treatment raises serious concerns under international law.
Rights groups and Abu Safiya's lawyer have said his life is in imminent danger. According to Physicians for Human Rights Israel, an Israeli rights group, he continues to be held without charge.
"The actions of the Israeli Prison Service guards towards Palestinian detainees raise grave concerns of violations of international law that likely amount to international crimes. Dr. Abu Safiya's medical condition is the direct result of these actions," the inquiry said in a statement.
An Israel Prison Service spokesperson said on Wednesday:
"The allegations and characterisations described are false, outrageous, and entirely without factual basis."
Although the spokesperson did not name Abu Safiya, the IPS has previously denied allegations that he and other Palestinian medical workers have been mistreated in detention.
On Monday, Abu Safiya's lawyer said his health was deteriorating and alleged he had been subjected to daily abuse. During a Supreme Court hearing in West Jerusalem in June, which he attended via video link, Abu Safiya appeared noticeably thinner.
The inquiry said the reported treatment of Abu Safiya reflected a broader pattern of violations it had documented in previous reports. In September 2025, it accused Israeli authorities of committing genocide by targeting Gaza's healthcare system and medical professionals since October 2023, allegations Israel has rejected as "scandalous."
Israel has accused the commission of pursuing a political agenda against the country, exceeding its mandate and has declined to cooperate with its investigations.
Separately, on Monday, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention ruled that Abu Safiya's detention was arbitrary and called for his immediate release. The body said Israel's actions violated multiple provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
