Israel's Supreme Court has rejected an appeal seeking the release of prominent Palestinian doctor Hussam Abū Ṣafiyah, who has been held without charge since his detention in Gaza in late 2024.
Abū Ṣafiyah, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, is among at least 14 Gaza-based doctors who have reportedly been detained in Israel for more than a year without formal charges.
According to Naji Abbas, director of the Prisoners and Detainees Department at the Israeli human rights organisation Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI), the court based its decision on confidential material that was not shared with Abū Ṣafiyah or his legal team.
A spokesperson for Israel's Supreme Court declined to comment on the ruling.
PHRI criticised the decision, arguing that it raises serious concerns about due process and transparency.
"The message sent by this decision is unmistakable: a medical professional can be deprived of his liberty indefinitely without being charged and without the authorities presenting evidence against him in open court," Abbas said in a statement.
Human rights groups and Abū Ṣafiyah's lawyer have also alleged that the doctor has faced poor treatment while in detention, including insufficient food and physical abuse.
Israel's prison service has rejected those claims.
Abū Ṣafiyah appeared by video link during a Supreme Court hearing in Jerusalem last Wednesday. According to PHRI, he appeared noticeably thinner than before.
The organisation also said he has spent the past 13 days in solitary confinement.
The Israeli military has accused Abū Ṣafiyah of being a member of Hamas. However, it has not publicly presented evidence to support the allegation. Gaza's Health Ministry and Hamas have both denied the claim.
Abū Ṣafiyah became known during the war in Gaza in 2023 when he was among a group of doctors who refused to leave newborn babies under their care after the Israeli military ordered medical staff to evacuate.
His case has drawn increasing attention from human rights organisations, which have called for greater transparency over the detention of medical workers from Gaza.
The ruling means Abū Ṣafiyah will remain in custody while legal and human rights groups continue to challenge his detention.
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