The Israeli military has detained Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, as part of ongoing operations targeting Hamas militants. The arrest took place on Saturday, a day after Israeli forces stormed the hospital, forcing medical staff and patients to endure strip searches in cold conditions. Israel’s military denied claims that it entered or set fire to the hospital, stating that its operations were aimed at Hamas infrastructure and militants, but it provided no evidence to substantiate claims of Hamas activity inside the hospital.
The attack on Kamal Adwan Hospital is not an isolated incident; it is part of a series of Israeli airstrikes targeting medical facilities and other infrastructure in northern Gaza. The region has been under heavy bombardment for over a year as part of Israel’s campaign to dismantle Hamas following their attack on southern Israel in October 2023. This attack resulted in significant casualties, with over 1,200 Israelis killed and around 250 others abducted by Hamas. In Gaza, the ongoing military campaign has devastated the local health sector, with the Ministry of Health reporting more than 45,400 deaths and over 108,000 injuries.
Israeli Detention of Gaza Hospital Director Sparks Humanitarian Concerns Amid Escalating Conflict
Dr. Abu Safiya’s detention has raised concerns from humanitarian organizations. MedGlobal, where Dr. Abu Safiya works as a lead physician, expressed grave concern about his safety and described the arrest as part of a troubling pattern of targeting medical personnel. This follows the October detention of five other staff members from the same organization. The health ministry stated that Dr. Abu Safiya, along with dozens of other hospital staff, was taken to an interrogation center, but Israel has not provided any clear justification for his arrest.
The Israeli military claims that Hamas operates within hospitals like Kamal Adwan and uses them as cover, but hospital officials have consistently denied these allegations. Since the start of Israel’s offensive, Kamal Adwan Hospital and other medical facilities in the region have been hit multiple times. Earlier this week, an Israeli strike killed five medical workers at the hospital. Despite these ongoing attacks, thousands of Palestinians remain in the area, with the northern Gaza districts of Jabaliya, Beit Hanoun, and Beit Lahiya experiencing widespread destruction.
Meanwhile, Israel’s military operations continue, with strikes targeting Hamas positions across Gaza and northern regions, such as Beit Hanoun. The conflict has spilled beyond Gaza, with air raid sirens sounding across Israel and Israeli military forces intercepting missiles fired by Houthi rebels from Yemen. The Houthis have also attacked Israeli shipping in the Red Sea and demand a ceasefire in Gaza, further complicating the broader Middle Eastern conflict. As the violence persists, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens, with tens of thousands of displaced individuals struggling to survive in increasingly dire conditions.
