A prominent Palestinian doctor detained by Israel for more than 500 days appeared by video link before Israel's Supreme Court on Wednesday (10 June), marking the first time he has been seen publicly since February, according to rights groups.
Hussam Abu Safiya, who was detained by Israeli forces at Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza in late 2024, appeared noticeably thinner during the hearing. Media were briefly allowed into the courtroom in Jerusalem before being asked to leave as proceedings began.
The court was hearing an appeal filed by Abu Safiya's lawyer, Nasser Odeh, challenging his continued detention. A decision was expected later on Wednesday.
According to Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI), Abu Safiya has been held without charge since his arrest.
Abu Safiya's appearance renewed concerns about his condition in detention.
His brother, Muafaq Abu Safiya, said in April that the family had learned through his lawyer that he had lost 40 kilograms and suffered four fractured ribs, along with other health problems.
PHRI has said Abu Safiya is among a group of detained Gazan doctors who have been denied adequate food while in Israeli custody.
Israel's Prison Service has rejected those allegations.
Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Odeh said his client remained handcuffed and shackled throughout the proceedings and was being held in solitary confinement.
He added that Abu Safiya was receiving medical treatment, including medication for severe neck and back pain, which he said resulted from an assault during detention, as well as treatment for a chronic illness.
Odeh also said Abu Safiya's eyeglasses had been confiscated, leaving him with impaired vision, and that his hands showed signs of a skin condition that he said was common among Palestinian prisoners.
Israel's Prison Service did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the latest allegations regarding his treatment.
The Israeli military detained Abu Safiya at Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza, during its military operations in the territory.
Israel has accused him of being a member of Hamas but has not publicly provided verifiable evidence to support the claim.
Gaza's Health Ministry and Hamas have both denied the allegation.
During the court hearing, Abu Safiya could be seen wearing a white T-shirt and grey tracksuit trousers, clothing commonly worn by Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
Abu Safiya is one of 14 Palestinian doctors from Gaza who have been held by Israel for more than a year without charge, according to PHRI.
In April, the rights group called for their release, alleging that the doctors had been denied adequate medical care and food and had been subjected to physical abuse while in detention.
Israel's Prison Service rejected those claims at the time.
PHRI says the 14 doctors are among nearly 400 Palestinian healthcare workers detained by Israel during its military campaign in Gaza, launched after Hamas's 7 October 2023 attack on southern Israel.
For Abu Safiya's family, Wednesday's hearing offered a rare glimpse of a man they had not seen in public for months. However, it also deepened concerns about his health and the conditions under which he is being held as the legal battle over his detention continues.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday that the United States must recognise that the “rules of the game” i...
Russian President Vladimir Putin held more than three hours of talks with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow on efforts to end t...
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has left for France for a four-day visit aimed at strengthening ties with Paris, including a summit with Frenc...
An eruption of Indonesia’s Mount Anak Krakatau has disrupted air travel, school activities and fishing operations, with hundreds of passengers stranded at Jakarta’s main airport on Sunday.
U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will visit Russia then Ukraine over the weekend, Russian state news agency TASS has reported, citing an unnamed source. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has also said American envoys will visit the capitals of both countries.
U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have arrived in Moscow for peace talks on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, two people familiar with the matter said. They were met by Russian Presidential Envoy Kirill Dmitriev.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday that the United States must recognise that the “rules of the game” in its war against Iran had changed “before it is too late”, a day after Washington struck several Iranian tankers in the Gulf.
Russian President Vladimir Putin held more than three hours of talks with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow on efforts to end the Ukraine war.
Israeli strikes killed four people, including two women, in southern Lebanon on Sunday, the Lebanese Health Ministry said, as Israel said it was retaliating for two Hezbollah drone attacks targeting its soldiers.
A unique architectural monument dating back to the 9th to 12th centuries has been discovered in the village of Gargara, in the Korez village commune in Dangara district in Tajikistan.
Japan and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime have launched a $9.4 million, two-year project across five Afghan provinces to help former poppy-growing families and expand drug prevention and treatment services.
For centuries, Lahore has been shaped by the people, cultures and empires that passed through it. Now, the Pakistani city is preparing to put that rich history before a wider regional audience.
Israel is ready to move Palestinians from Gaza as soon as the U.S. approves, the country’s Defence Minister Israel Katz has said. He told a conference hosted by Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth on Wednesday that there was “no real solution” for Gaza without migration.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment