“This suggests a systemic policy that violates human rights and, more broadly, indicates that such arrests are arbitrary and unlawful under international legal standards.”
A new report by the Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI) organization has unveiled harrowing testimonies from medical workers detained in Gaza, including abduction from their workplaces, being held for months without charges, torture, sexual abuse, and denial of medical care.
Citing the Healthcare Workers Watch, PHRI said that the Israeli military had detained “over 250 healthcare workers in Gaza by September 2024,” among them physicians, nurses, paramedics and support staff who provided “life-saving care amid the ongoing war.”
“As of this report, over 180 remain in detention without a clear indication of when or if they will be released,” the PHRI said in the 21-page report titled ‘Unlawfully Detained, Tortured and Starved: The Plight of Gaza’s Medical Workers in Israeli Custody’ released on Wednesday.
Only after six months “of complete isolation,” were human rights organizations able to locate and visit some of these detainees.
From all the innumerable horrors that have taken place since the beginning of the war, this new PHRI report and testimonies, detailing evidence by detained medical workers, nevertheless shook us to the core. As doctors, seeing our colleagues abducted from their workplaces,… pic.twitter.com/8atD6zT0um
— Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI) (@PHRIsrael) February 26, 2025
Between July and December 2024, PHRI lawyers visited over 24 medical workers from Gaza, primarily physicians, “in both military and Israel Prison Service (IPS) detention facilities.”
The new report was “based on structured interviews conducted during those visits, providing critical insights into the ongoing detentions, the treatment of medical workers, the cruel conditions they endure, and the legal violations associated with their incarceration.”
‘Intelligence Gathering’
It analyzed the detention of medical personnel and the violations of their rights under International Humanitarian Law (IHL), “which grants medical workers – including physicians, nurses, and paramedics-special protections under the Geneva Conventions and other protocols due to their impartial and vital role in caring for the wounded.”
Moreover, the report noted, medical personnel testimonies “indicate that their arrests were aimed mainly at gathering intelligence rather than investigating their involvement in armed conflict.”
First footage of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya since his arrest has emerged. The pediatrician and director of Kamal Adwan Hospital was abducted on Dec 28. He was beaten, denied treatment for his heart condition, and held in solitary for over a month—without charge or legal counsel for at… pic.twitter.com/o3tEF0D1Md
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) February 19, 2025
“This suggests a systemic policy that violates human rights and, more broadly, indicates that such arrests are arbitrary and unlawful under international legal standards,” PHRI stated.
“From the moment of the arrest in Gaza, through transportation, and later in Israeli detention facilities, detainees endure physical, psychological, and sexual abuse, as well as starvation and medical neglect amounting to torture,” it added.
Four Doctors Killed in Detention
The report pointed out that more than 70 detainees have died in Israeli custody since October 2023.
“Among those who were killed are at least four Palestinian medical workers from Gaza: Dr. Adnan Al Bursh, Dr. Iyad Al Rantisi, Dr. Ziad Al-Dalou, and paramedic Hamdan Abu Anaba,” PHRI stated.
With no information made available by Israeli authorities, the organization pointed out, “their deaths have raised serious concerns about the treatment and conditions under which medical professionals are being held.”
Of the 24 medical personnel visited by PHRI lawyers, “20 were arrested while carrying out their medical duties – directly violating several IHL provisions designed to protect the ability of medical workers to perform life-saving tasks without fear or interference.”
The remaining four were arrested either at their homes, while crossing checkpoints, or in displaced persons camps.
“All arrested medical personnel reported experiencing extreme violence, humiliation, and being stripped of their clothing, including on hospital grounds. They were kept handcuffed, blindfolded and detained for hours to days, both in Gaza and during transportation to Israeli detention facilities,” PHRI noted.
‘Forced to Strip’
Dr. Khaled Alser, a surgeon at Gaza’s Nasser Hospital, said: “I was arrested inside the hospital while the army besieged it for three days.”
“On the day of my arrest, the army ordered the evacuation of the hospital. There was a battalion outside, and they forced us to strip in front of everyone and walk naked for about thirty meters. We were detained while still naked for about two hours, then transferred to rooms in houses, with thirty detainees in each room,” he continued.
⚡️BREAKING:
Freed medical staff captured with Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya recounted his severe beatings and torture in detention for being a doctor. Upon reaching the European Hospital in central Gaza today he was shocked to find that Dr. Hussam is still abducted by Israel. pic.twitter.com/xap6tuLyPu
— Suppressed News. (@SuppressedNws) February 27, 2025
The surgeon said they were handcuffed with plastic zip ties for five days and interrogated inside the houses.
“I was next to my medical colleagues when they took them, tortured and beat them, and later released some while arresting others,” he stated.
Patterns of Abuse
Dr. Alser also described how three medical personnel, including himself, were thrown into a military jeep and then drove around for over two hours.
During the ride, they humiliated and beat us, sitting on us, kicking us with their boots, and striking us with their rifle barrels. We begged them to stop, but they continued.”
Israel still refuses to release 160 healthcare workers from Gaza, including more than 20 doctors. https://t.co/tjVz7jBIYI
— Ghassan Abu Sitta (@GhassanAbuSitt1) February 27, 2025
These patterns of abuse, said the PHRI, were evident in additional testimonies.
Dr. A.M., a 42-year-old surgeon at Nasser hospital, testified:“The soldiers poured cold water on us, kicked us, struck us with batons, punched us, and slammed my head against the bus railing.”
‘Threatened to Cut Off My Fingers’
Some reported that the violence intensified once the Israeli soldiers discovered they were physicians: “While being transported to the interrogation facility, they threatened to cut off my fingers because I am a dentist,” said Dr. K.J.
In another testimony, Dr. K.S., a 29-year-old surgeon at Al-Shifaa Hospital stated: “They took me from Al-Shifa Hospital directly to a detention center. Along the way, they beat us with batons one after another and especially the doctors. They asked each detainee whether they were a doctor.”
Over 160 healthcare workers—including over 20 doctors—remain in Israeli detention in Gaza, according to Healthcare Workers Watch.
The World Health Organization confirms hundreds have been arrested, while freed doctors recount brutal abuse.
The UN demands their immediate release pic.twitter.com/bytIkkBzQe
— TRT World (@trtworld) February 26, 2025
These and additional testimonies “indicate that Palestinian medical personnel were arrested in Gaza in violation of IHL,” said PHRI.
“Their ability to provide crucial care for the wounded was not only hindered but entirely prevented, despite the prohibitions outlined in Article 24 of the First Geneva Convention, and Article 3 of both the Third and Fourth Geneva Conventions,” the organization emphasized.
“Interrogated More than Eight Times’
Israeli authorities conducted interrogations both in Gaza and in detention facilities in Israel, the report noted, with medical personnel primarily questioned about the Israeli captives, tunnels, hospital structures, and Hamas’ activity. Some were even asked about fellow physicians.
Based on these testimonies, it appears the interrogations “were mainly aimed at intelligence gathering rather than investigating alleged security offenses.”
After the release of over 600 Palestinian prisoners, several have shared experiences of torture, starvation and sleep deprivation in Israeli detention.
Among them are civil defence workers and doctors in Gaza detained for several months by Israel’s military without charge. pic.twitter.com/bEUijMsWyU
— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) February 28, 2025
“I was interrogated more than eight times… they repeated the same questions about Hamas, tunnels, and hostages. I told them I had no connection to Hamas and knew nothing about the tunnels… They forced me to draw a map of the hospital,” said Dr. K.S., a surgeon at Al-Shifaa Hospital.
‘Kicked Me in the Testicles’
In addition to abuse during field interrogations, those conducted in Israeli detention facilities also frequently included physical, psychological, and sexual torture, said PHRI.
Dr. K.J., a dentist arrested by the Israeli military from Al-Shifaa Hospital, where he and his family had taken shelter after being displaced, said: “The ‘captain interrogated me about tunnels, terrorist operatives, and weapons. Every time I said I didn’t know, he beat me, punched me, and kicked me in the testicles, along with frequent cursing. The interrogation lasted for about an hour.”
Dr. Issam Abu Ajwa, a surgeon from Gaza who was recently freed from Israeli prisons, tells the Guardian:
⭕ “Interrogators were told to work hard to make sure that I lost the use of my hands and became unable to perform surgery.”
⭕ “During interrogations, I was tortured and… pic.twitter.com/3tfXzlG9DF
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) February 26, 2025
Similarly, A.MQ., a 38-year-old nurse, testified that during interrogation, “I was suspended by my wrists from the ceiling, my legs forced backward, and left in that position for hours.”
The nurse added: “They humiliated me and spat on me… During the interrogation in Ofer Prison, they extinguished cigarettes on my head and poured coffee over, I was brutally beaten.”
The PHRI pointed out that the “use of abuse or coercion to extract information during interrogations is strictly prohibited” under IHL. Article 32 of the Fourth Geneva Convention which “explicitly bans the use of physical or psychological coercion against protected persons to obtain information.”
Legal Procedures
In arresting Palestinians in Gaza, including healthcare workers, Israeli authorities have invoked the ‘Unlawful Combatants’ Law,” PHRI noted.
“This classification deprives Palestinian detainees from Gaza of prisoner-of-war status, denies them access to legal counsel for extended periods after arrest, and delays their judicial hearings. As a result, crucial oversight of their arrest and detention conditions is severely restricted,” the report said.
“I had to sign a document in Hebrew. I had two court hearings – one in April, where I was informed there were no charges, only an extension of my detention. The second was a month ago, when they told me my detention would be extended until the end of the war,” said Dr. A.S., cardiologist at Nasser Hospital.
In a similar case, Dr. O.A., a 65-year-old gynecologist and labor physician, stated: “I had two court hearings over the phone. They told me there were no charges against me but extended my detention indefinitely. I still don’t have a lawyer.”
Abuse, Torture, Sexual Assault
Initially, most detainees from Gaza, including 23 of 24 interviewed detained medical personnel, were taken to the Sde Teiman military detention camp, said PHRI.
It noted that she severe conditions and widespread abuse of detainees at Sde Teiman “have been extensively reported by international media and human rights organizations, earning it the nickname ‘Israel’s Guantanamo.’”
Weaponized Sexual Violence: Rights Group Urges Accountability for Israel
Dr. M.T., a 33-year-old physician and head of surgery at the Indonesian Hospital, who was detained at Sde Teiman, testified: “For three days, Force 10030 soldiers raided the enclosures with dogs, beat prisoners, and allowed the dogs to urinate and defecate on us.”
Taunted over Rape
Dr. A.M. recounted the sexual assault endured by a fellow detainee: “The soldiers kept taunting him, saying, ‘You’re the one who was raped.’ He was deeply depressed. One day, they entered with dogs, assaulted him, and struck him on the head – he died immediately.”
Dr. N.T., a 48-year-old surgeon at Nasser, was held in at least two military detention camps-Sde Teiman and Ofer – as well as Ktzi’ot, an IPS facility.
⚡️BREAKING:
A freed captive from Gaza revealed that 35-year-old Palestinian detainee Mosab Haniyeh, abducted by Israeli forces during the March 2024 invasion of Hamad Town, died in Israeli custody after brutal torture [Rape]. According to the testimony, a stick was forced… pic.twitter.com/ruvJzKtk3n
— Suppressed News. (@SuppressedNws) February 27, 2025
His testimony exposes systemic abuse across all locations, the report noted.
“At every stage, we endured beatings and severe violence – batons, dog attacks, and boiling water poured on us, causing severe burns,” he said.
Describing incidents of sexual assault, he added: “I know that some prisoners had batons inserted into their buttocks.”
Dr. R.M., a 51-year-old pediatrician at Muhammad Al-Durrah Children hospital held in Ktz’iot, stated: “I face severe conditions simply because I am a pediatrician. When they realize someone is a doctor or an academic, the treatment becomes harsher.”
Deliberate Starvation
All 24 medical professionals interviewed by PHRI reported experiencing severe malnutrition, adding to the regularly emerging reports from Israeli military camps and IPS prisons, the report noted.
Saleh Al-Hams, Director of Nursing at Gaza European Hospital, reports that at dawn today, 456 freed detainees arrived at Gaza European Hospital, among them were 15 medical staff.
Many of the released detainees are in a severely weakened state, and some unable to walk due to the… pic.twitter.com/cYMdReLs05
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) February 27, 2025
The testimonies gathered from military camps such as Ofer Camp reveal that detainees are provided “with an almost identical menu: four to six slices of bread with a small amount of sugary spread for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”
“We are given three slices of bread with jam or chocolate barely enough for one slice. Most of the food consists of sugar. I started fasting to save food-I have been fasting for 22 days now,” an unnamed physician said.
Medical Neglect
The testimonies reveal that the detention facilities fail to provide adequate medical care in multiple ways, including frequently denying timely and appropriate treatment and ignoring requests for medical attention, noted the report.
H.M., a 21-year-old nursing student at Al-Azhar University, testified: “I suffered a dislocation of the neck muscles on the rib cage (CH+). I used to take three types of medications, but since my arrest, I haven’t been given any medication, and no one has asked about my health. I ask for medication every day, but it’s always in vain.”
The scars of scabies on the body of Iyad Adais, a child released by the Israeli occupation last October under conditions. pic.twitter.com/aEErEETEiK
— Ramy Abdu| رامي عبده (@RamAbdu) February 10, 2025
Requests for medical care were not only denied but also punished; Dr. K.S. said: “Our cell was infested with scabies for two months, maybe even longer. After repeatedly requesting treatment, they pepper-sprayed us and moved me to a different cell in another ward.”
Dr. M.S., a 27-year-old general practitioner at Al-Aqsa Hospital, testified: “There is a widespread scabies infection among all prisoners in the ward. No one is treating these infections or any other health conditions.”
Similarly, Dr. M.M., a 27-year-old physician who volunteered at Al-Shifaa, said: “There’s no underwear, and the scabies is killing us. No medical treatment or even basic pain relief is provided, and we haven’t seen a doctor.”
Direct Violation of IHL
The PHRI said that “the mass detention of Palestinians, including medical personnel critical to the provision of care during times of war directly violates the fundamental principles of protection established in IHL.”
“Their arrests are deemed unlawful, as it appears they are being held without charges or facing proper legal procedures, seemingly for the sole purpose of gathering intelligence or potential leverage in future hostage exchanges. This renders their detention even more egregious under both international law and fundamental human rights principles,” the report noted.
WHO Calls for Release of over 160 Gaza Medical Workers Held by Israel
The organization stressed that as the situation continues to develop, “the legal and ethical responsibility to protect those in custody cannot be overstated, and the consistent failure to meet these obligations calls for urgent scrutiny.”
“The international community must hold Israeli authorities accountable to safeguard the rights-and lives-of all detainees, while ensuring that violations of IHL are promptly addressed,” it added.
The organization emphasized that “It is urgent that the international community demands the immediate release of all detained medical personnel and guarantees that the fundamental rights and protections of medical workers are upheld.”
(The Palestine Chronicle)
