LONDON — Healthcare professionals gathered outside St Thomas' Hospital on Monday to demand the release of Dr. Hussam Abu Safia and 94 other Palestinian medics detained by Israeli authorities. Most of the 95 healthcare workers are held under administrative detention, which allows indefinite detention without charge or trial. The protest was organized by Healthcare Workers Watch and Amnesty International UK.
Dr. Abu Safia, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in North Gaza, was arrested by Israeli forces on Dec. 27, 2024, when troops raided the facility. An Israeli court extended his detention for another six months. He has been held without charge or trial under Israeli security law.
Amnesty International reported that credible accounts describe torture, physical abuse and degrading treatment of Dr. Abu Safia, including significant weight loss, denial of adequate medical care and limited access to legal counsel. These alleged practices violate international law.
Dr. Abu Safia remained at his post throughout the bombardment, caring for patients despite the death of his own son in an Israeli airstrike. His detention falls under the Unlawful Combatants Law.
Dr. Rebecca Inglis of Healthcare Workers Watch said Israel's continued detention of nearly 100 healthcare workers violates International Humanitarian Law. She cited extensive evidence of torture endured by Palestinian prisoners in Israeli detention, drawing on testimonies collected by her organization and others.
Beyond those detained, five other healthcare workers have died in Israeli custody and five are missing. The Palestinian Ministry of Health reported that at least 1,722 healthcare workers have been killed in Israeli strikes over the past two years.
Healthcare Workers Watch indicated that most of the detained medics were taken from hospitals or ambulances while on duty. The organization has not received updates from families of 22 detainees.
The detention and killing of medical staff have compounded the collapse of Gaza's health system. At least 94 percent of hospitals in Gaza have sustained damage or been destroyed and are no longer operational.
Between Oct. 7, 2023, and Oct. 20, 2025, Healthcare Workers Watch documented 431 cases of detained Palestinian healthcare workers. Doctors Without Borders confirmed the ongoing detention of 95 Palestinian healthcare workers since October 2023 and noted that one of their surgeons, Dr. Mohammed Obeid, has been held in Israel for more than 600 days.
