The lawyer of Dr. Hussam Abu Safia, a prominent Palestinian physician detained by Israeli forces, has revealed alarming details about his conditions in prison. During her last visit, she described how Dr. Abu Safia and his nephew, Hussam Daher, are enduring severe health deterioration, confined almost entirely indoors and deprived of sunlight for more than 30 minutes a month. Chronic skin conditions, including scabies and boils, afflict them, and their access to basic hygiene and medical care is critically limited, with baths restricted to two minutes and medical treatment, particularly dermatological care, virtually unavailable.

Dr. Abu Safia, a paediatrician who directed Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, has been described by colleagues as the “Hippocrates of his era.” He remained at the hospital throughout the onslaught, treating the sick and wounded despite repeated threats and scarce resources, only to be detained during an Israeli operation in late December. He sustained injuries in the attack and suffered the loss of his son, who was killed during the bombardment.

Despite these circumstances, Dr. Abu Safia remains resolute, declaring in a recent message: “I am the human who was kidnapped from inside the hospital. We will remain on our land and work to provide health services to the people, God willing, from a tent.” His plight underscores the ongoing humanitarian and medical crisis faced by Palestinians under occupation, highlighting the systematic targeting of healthcare workers and the deliberate deprivation of essential care.