Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya’s lawless imprisonment without charge or trial extended by an Israeli court

16 months and a day since Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, surrendered to Israeli forces after resisting a violent months-long siege and keeping his hospital open, an Israeli court has extended his imprisonment without charge or trial under its blatantly illegal “Unlawful Combatants Law”, introduced in 2002, around the same time that George W. Bush was setting up Guantanamo and defining those held there as “unlawful enemy combatants.”

Dr. Abu Safiya is being held in Ketziot Prison in the Negev Desert, under harsh conditions, according to his lawyer, who has not been allowed to visit him for over two months. He is reportedly being denied the medications he needs, and necessary medical care, despite an ongoing deterioration in his health.

His family responded to the court’s ruling by calling it “a grave violation of international humanitarian law”, and demanded his immediate and unconditional release.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

According to a report by Al Jazeera in October last year, Israel is still holding 95 doctors and other medical staff in its prisons — 80 from Gaza and 15 from the West Bank — who were mostly abducted by the Israeli military from their hospitals or ambulances while they were on duty.