The case of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the pediatrician who refused to abandon Gaza's Kamel Adwan Hospital under Israeli bombardment, has become a symbol of Israel's systematic targeting of healthcare workers. Four months after his December 2024 arrest - captured in viral footage showing him walking toward Israeli tanks - the renowned doctor remains detained without charge in a military prison, allegedly subjected to torture and starvation.  

Amnesty International researcher Budour Hassan reveals disturbing details: "Dr. Abu Safiya is being interrogated about allegedly treating hostages - accusations he denies. Medical staff are specifically tortured for being medical staff." The pediatrician's case exemplifies Israel's broader crackdown on Gaza's healthcare system, with at least 184 doctors and nurses detained or disappeared since October 2023.  

The detention of medical personnel violates international humanitarian law, particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention's protections for healthcare workers in conflict zones. Yet testimonies collected by rights groups describe systematic abuse: medical staff reportedly endure intensified beatings when identified as doctors, with some subjected to stress positions, sleep deprivation, and forced confessions about nonexistent Hamas ties.  

As Gaza's health infrastructure lies in ruins - with only 12 of 36 hospitals partially functioning - Israel's targeting of medical professionals compounds the humanitarian catastrophe. With Dr. Abu Safiya's health reportedly deteriorating in custody, Amnesty demands immediate access for independent monitors to all detention facilities holding Palestinian medical workers. The case underscores what the UN calls Israel's "weaponization of healthcare" in a war that has claimed over 300 medical personnel through direct attacks alone.