The Palestinian Center for Prisoners Advocacy condemns the continued Israeli assaults against detained physician Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, following revelations in his latest message conveyed through his lawyer. Abu Safiya reported being repeatedly beaten across different parts of his body, including sensitive areas, with fists, kicks, and batons. He also reported being deliberately deprived of sleep and threatened against sharing any information about the conditions of his detention in Israeli prisons.
The details contained in the message raise serious concerns over Abu Safiya’s safety, particularly his account of being assaulted following lawyers’ visits. This indicates that beatings and threats are being used as a means of pressuring him and preventing him from speaking about his detention conditions and the violations he is subjected to.
According to the message, Dr. Abu Safiya is also being deliberately deprived of sleep through continuous noise and the use of loudspeakers during nighttime hours. He had previously sustained injuries to his head, face, and other parts of his body. Prison authorities’ records have also documented an injury to his left eye, as well as complaints related to injuries to his head and chest.
The continuation of assaults despite these injuries further heightens concerns over his health, particularly amid repeated testimonies regarding medical neglect and the denial of adequate treatment inside Israeli prisons.
The case of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya is part of a broader reality faced by detained doctors and healthcare workers, with recurring testimonies of beatings, starvation, medical neglect, isolation, and restrictions on regular communication with their families and lawyers.
The Palestinian Center for Prisoners Advocacy holds the Israeli government and prison authorities fully responsible for the safety and well-being of Dr. Abu Safiya. It calls for an immediate end to the assaults against him, access to the necessary medical examinations and treatment, and the protection of his right to communicate with his lawyer without threats or retaliation.
The Center also calls on the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the World Health Organization, and international human rights and medical organizations to intervene urgently, assess his health condition and detention conditions, open an independent investigation into the assaults he has reported, and work to ensure the necessary protection for him and for all sick prisoners and detained healthcare professionals.
Palestinian Center for Prisoners Advocacy
September 3, 2026
