Israel Confirms Hamas Affiliation of Gaza Hospital Director Amid Global Release Campaign
After weeks of silence, Israel officially responded to international calls for the release of Dr. Hossam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, who has been detained in Israel for a year and a half. The Israeli Embassy to the UN institutions in Geneva stated on Friday that Abu Safiya is not in life-threatening condition and identified him as a Hamas operative. The embassy emphasized that he was lawfully detained based on concrete intelligence and has shown no signs of critical health issues throughout his detention.
The embassy further accused Abu Safiya of using his hospital position to divert humanitarian resources for terrorist activities and facilitating Hamas operations against Israeli forces during the Gaza conflict, posing a direct threat to Israel's national security. His detention is subject to ongoing administrative and judicial review, including a recent Supreme Court hearing on June 10, 2026, which found no evidence supporting claims about his health deterioration. Medical teams have continuously monitored and treated him since his arrival at the Nitzan detention center on June 24, 2026.
Meanwhile, international media and human rights groups have campaigned for his release, portraying him as frail and injured. His lawyer, Nasser Odeh, and the Palestinian Prisoners Club allege that Israeli authorities have subjected Abu Safiya to harsh detention conditions and systematic torture aimed at breaking him physically and mentally. Reports also claim his transfer to the notorious underground Rakafot prison, where militants from the October 7 attacks and Hezbollah detainees are held, as part of efforts to harm him. Recent Arab media reports indicate he was placed in solitary confinement.
The British Guardian published an extensive report quoting his lawyer describing Abu Safiya's severe physical decline, difficulty breathing and speaking, and fear for his life after 18 months without charge or trial. Human rights organizations, including Physicians for Human Rights-Israel, have joined calls for his release, citing his detention as part of a broader pattern of Israeli attacks on Palestinian healthcare services in the occupied territories. The Israeli embassy’s statement and the ongoing legal and medical scrutiny highlight the complex and contentious nature of Abu Safiya’s case amid international pressure.
