Israel Detains 14 Gaza Doctors Without Trial, Court Rejects Medical Exam Request
Translated & summarized from Al-Shams by baba
Physicians for Human Rights reported that 14 Gaza doctors are detained by Israel without trial under "unlawful combatant" status. The organization's request for their release and for a medical examination of one doctor, Husam Abu Safiya, was rejected by the Supreme Court. The group alleges harsh treatment and lack of medical care for detainees, raising concerns about the targeting of Gaza's health system amid the war.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- 14 Gaza doctors are detained by Israel without trial under "unlawful combatant" status.
- Physicians for Human Rights petitioned the Supreme Court for their release and to cancel the classification.
- The court rejected the release request and denied a medical examination for Dr. Husam Abu Safiya.
- The organization alleges detainees face harsh treatment, including denial of medical care and physical abuse.
- Detainees' situation raises concerns about the targeting of Gaza's health system during the war.
Physicians for Human Rights has reported that 14 Palestinian doctors from Gaza are being held under the classification of "unlawful combatants" without trial. The organization petitioned the Israeli Supreme Court to order the cancellation of this classification and the release of the doctors. Muhannad Abu Ghaush, director of the Prisoners and Detainees Department at Physicians for Human Rights, stated that the detention of these doctors is a legal violation and deprives Gaza of essential medical personnel amid the ongoing destruction of its health system and severe humanitarian conditions.
Abu Ghaush highlighted that some detained doctors play critical roles in Gaza's health sector, including Dr. Husam Abu Safiya. The organization acknowledges that legal actions alone may not bring immediate change but emphasizes the necessity of sustained legal and media pressure. The court not only refused the release request but also denied the organization's plea for an independent physician to examine Abu Safiya and rejected the handover of his medical file. Abu Ghaush described these decisions as evidence of a lack of effective judicial oversight on army decisions and detainee conditions.
Information received by the organization through lawyers suggests Abu Safiya was subjected to assaults in prison, including being beaten with a hammer. This makes a medical examination and access to his health status critically important. Abu Ghaush further stated that Palestinian prisoners generally face difficult conditions, but those from Gaza experience harsher treatment, including denial of medical care and physical abuse, according to the organization's documentation.
Some detainees suffer from injuries sustained during the war or within prisons, without receiving necessary medical attention. Physicians for Human Rights has received disturbing testimonies about the prisoners' treatment and continues to pursue these violations through legal and media channels. Abu Ghaush stressed that the continued detention of doctors, given the urgent need for them in Gaza, raises serious questions about the targeting of the health system, linking their arrest to the broader situation and pressures on Gaza's health sector during the war.
