Global Outcry Over Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya’s Disappearance After Kamal Adwan Hospital Raid

Drop Site News, an independent platform reporting on politics and war, has urged the U.S. State Department to immediately investigate the disappearance of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Gaza’s Kamal Adwan Hospital. 

Throughout Gaza's unyielding bombardment, Abu Safiya, chose to stand by his patients. Braving relentless military strikes that left him critically injured and took the life of his son, he remained resolute, refusing to abandon his post.

The platform has also launched a petition urging the U.S. government to hold Israel accountable and ensure Abu Safiya’s safe return.

This push for accountability comes after widespread allegations of human rights violations amid Gaza hospital crisis during Israel's military campaign in Gaza, which has seen indiscriminate attacks on medical facilities and personnel.

The Palestinian Prisoners’ Club raised alarms about Abu Safiya’s fate after the Israeli military denied detaining him. 

On December 27, Israeli forces reportedly stormed Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia, detaining medical staff, wounded patients, and others present before setting the facility on fire. Witnesses alleged that some staff were burned alive during the attack.

Once the largest medical center in northern Gaza, serving over 400,000 residents, Kamal Adwan Hospital was bombarded for weeks before its destruction. The raid, which displaced over 350 people, including 75 injured patients, marked a devastating blow to Gaza’s already strained healthcare system.

Claims and Contradictions

Dr. Hossam Abu Safieh supervises the treatment of an injured man on Nov. 21. AFP / Getty Images

Reports indicate that Abu Safiya was taken to the Sde Teiman detention camp, notorious for allegations of torture.

His son, Idrees Abu Safiya, revealed that his father sustained severe leg injuries during the hospital raid. “We haven’t been able to sleep for days, not knowing his condition or location,” Idrees said. 

Despite photographic evidence, video footage, and testimonies from released detainees suggesting Abu Safiya’s detention, Israeli officials denied any record of his arrest. 

In response, Physicians for Human Rights filed an urgent request for legal access to Abu Safiya, while his wife, Albina Abu Safiya, voiced her anguish: “My husband’s only crime was saving lives in impossible conditions. He did not deserve this.”

Call for Immediate Action on Medical Attacks

A Palestinian doctor in a Rafah hospital  prepares premature baby to be transferred to Egypt in November 20, 2023/AP Photo

The assault on Kamal Adwan Hospital has drawn condemnation from international health organizations. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) expressed being "appalled" by the attack, reiterating that healthcare facilities must not be battlegrounds.

Since October 2023, the UN health agency has verified at least 50 attacks on medical workers in Gaza, though it refrains from assigning blame.

At least 320 medical personnel have been detained, and dozens killed, during Israel’s military operations in Gaza. 

Human rights organizations have labeled these actions as potential violations of international law, intensifying calls for accountability.

Abu Safiya’s case underscores the dire conditions for medical professionals in Gaza, where hospitals and healthcare workers face relentless assaults. 

As global pressure mounts, Drop Site News and human rights groups hope that international action will shine a light on these injustices and secure the safety of those risking their lives to save others.