Drop Site News, Feb 16, 2025

In January, we launched a petition demanding the U.S. State Department intervene for the release of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza. Dr. Safiya has been a first-hand source for Drop Site News and other media outlets, testifying to the dire conditions of Gaza’s hospitals amid Israel’s continued attacks. Since then, the situation has become drastically worse.

After enduring 47 days of detention, Dr. Abu Safiya has revealed the severe torture and abuse he suffered at the hands of Israeli forces. During a recent meeting with his Al Mezan lawyer at Ofer Prison, where he has been held in solitary confinement for 25 days, Dr. Abu Safiya described horrific treatment: being forcibly stripped, shackled with tightly bound hands, and forced to sit on sharp gravel for five hours. He endured brutal beatings with batons and electric shock sticks, along with repeated blows to his chest. Despite his deteriorating health, Al Mezan reports that he has been repeatedly denied essential medical care.

Currently detained without charge under the Unlawful Combatants Law, Dr. Abu Safiya must wait 45 days for the District Court to ratify the detention order. If approved, he faces six months of imprisonment, with the possibility of indefinite extensions. His true crime was refusing to be silent in the face of Israel’s assaults on Gaza’s medical facilities and staff. The urgency of this situation cannot be overstated.

Please sign and share our petition demanding Dr. Abu Safiya’s immediate release. Every signature amplifies our collective voice and increases pressure on the U.S. State Department to act. His freedom—and his life—may depend on our ability to bring widespread attention to his case.

Demand the release of Dr. Safiya