Israel's detention and torture of Palestinian pediatrician Dr. Husam Abu Safia

Jul 08, 2026

A Palestinian children's doctor has been held and beaten by Israel for over 550 days with no charges — a grim story of alleged war-crime abuse getting almost no US TV coverage.

  • Dr. Husam Abu Safia, head of Gaza's Kamal Adwan Hospital, was detained after he refused to abandon his sick child patients during an evacuation order.
  • He has been held with no charges and no evidence, accused of Hamas ties, with Israel's Supreme Court repeatedly renewing his detention.
  • His lawyer and sons describe severe beatings, solitary confinement, and injuries that left him barely recognizable and struggling to breathe.
  • 82 other Palestinian healthcare workers are also held without charge, described here as hostages rather than prisoners.
  • US cable news is slammed for ignoring the story and going easy on Israeli officials.

Outlook: Israel's detention order runs at least through October and keeps getting renewed, so without outside pressure his imprisonment and abuse look set to continue.

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