GAZA, (PIC)
When recently released prisoner Ahmad Qaddas first saw Dr. Hossam Abu Safiya inside prison, he did not recognize him immediately. The exhausted body and faint voice bore little resemblance to the man whose presence once commanded attention, who appeared on local and international television screens, and whose charisma resembled that of a statesman.
The shocking contrast reflects what Israeli prison torture can do to a person, not merely altering their appearance but amounting to what former detainees describe as an “erasure of identity.”
Israeli forces arrested Dr. Abu Safiya on December 27, 2024, during a raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, according to Al Jazeera.
Last October, Amnesty International, citing a lawyer who visited Abu Safiya and other detainees, said he had been subjected to abuse and other forms of mistreatment.
Physical collapse and helpless fellow prisoners
Qaddas, who was recently released, told Al Jazeera that Dr. Hossam’s condition had visibly deteriorated. He spent most of his time sitting in a daze due to severe exhaustion caused by ongoing torture.
The former prisoner described with bitterness how the respected director of Kamal Adwan Hospital had been reduced to softly muttering prayers, his words barely understandable despite repeated attempts to speak, an image reflecting the severe physical breakdown he had reached.
Qaddas also revealed details of the “psychological torture” prisoners endured collectively, saying they could hear Dr. Abu Safiya screaming while being beaten, powerless to intervene.
Urgent appeal
The released prisoner said he personally hesitated to approach Abu Safiya despite wanting to help him because prisoners who tried to assist others were often punished through room raids and the throwing of tear gas grenades, causing suffocation among detainees.
According to Qaddas, Dr. Abu Safiya suffers from extreme weakness and severe weight loss. His clothes appeared filthy and worn, reflecting the harsh conditions and continuous abuse he endured.
Qaddas concluded his testimony with what he described as an “urgent” appeal to save Dr. Abu Safiya and secure his release, warning that he now “faces the risk of death at any moment” if his detention under such conditions continues.
“An extra dose of torture”
Another released prisoner, Hamza Abu Omeira, provided more detailed accounts of the systematic targeting of Dr. Abu Safiya. He said the doctor’s treatment was “far harsher” than that of other detainees.
Abu Omeira met the imprisoned doctor in October 2025 and said he was already in poor health, visibly exhausted, and ill.
He added that, based on what he witnessed, Abu Safiya was repeatedly subjected to torture and direct humiliation. The doctor appeared frail and emaciated, wearing dirty clothes and showing signs of ongoing exhaustion.
Vomiting under torture
Abu Omeira said Abu Safiya was frequently taken for interrogation, often alone, where he endured beatings and verbal abuse. Special prison units sometimes handled his transfers, with a clear focus on subjecting him to particularly harsh treatment, including insults and physical assault.
He agreed with Qaddas that Dr. Abu Safiya’s life is in danger due to severe torture and deliberate targeting by Israeli authorities.
Abu Omeira also described serious health deterioration, saying Abu Safiya suffered from constant vomiting and could not keep food down while being denied medical care.
“The food was unhealthy,” he said. “He would vomit up everything he ate. He’d take a bite and immediately throw it up.”
He also recounted a brutal incident in which prisoners, including Dr. Abu Safiya, spent seven consecutive days shackled by both hands and feet, making basic tasks such as eating, drinking, and using the bathroom unbearably difficult.
Forced to insult himself
Abu Omeira said one aspect of the “different treatment” inflicted on Dr. Abu Safiya involved degrading humiliation beyond what other prisoners experienced. At times, he was reportedly forced to repeat insulting phrases about himself while under severe torture.
He added that other detained medical staff, including doctors from Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, also faced harsh treatment but stressed that Abu Safiya’s situation was “far worse.”
According to Abu Omeira, Dr. Abu Safiya relied heavily on prayer and spirituality to endure detention, constantly asking God to ease his suffering and requesting prayers from fellow detainees.
Torture involving police dogs
A third testimony, provided by released prisoner Rami Abu Omeira, focused on the final weeks before his release about six weeks ago. He said he witnessed Dr. Abu Safiya being severely beaten after returning from interrogation and revealed that police dogs were allegedly used to terrorize and attack him inside interrogation rooms, causing cuts and scratches across his body.
“They stripped him of his clothes and set dogs on him,” Rami said. “The dogs attacked him, scratched him, and knocked him to the ground.”
He added that prison forces deliberately raided the doctor’s sleeping area, throwing stun grenades and tear gas near him before forcibly transferring him in what he described as attempts to break his psychological resilience.
According to Rami Abu Omeira, signs of torture were clearly visible on Dr. Abu Safiya’s body and overall physical condition. He warned that the doctor remains at serious risk of being killed or dying as a result of torture and called for urgent action to save his life and secure his release.
Dr. Abu Safiya is remembered by his children as a resilient physician who continued working despite the killing of his son Ibrahim and despite suffering a leg injury himself. During his arrest, he was seen walking steadily toward an Israeli tank in a scene widely circulated online. His colleagues at Kamal Adwan Hospital reportedly referred to him as “the father of the patients.”
According to sources cited by Al Jazeera Net, Abu Safiya is one of 737 medical workers arrested by Israel since the start of the latest war on Gaza, including doctors, paramedics, and nurses, amid reports that many have faced abuse and mistreatment in detention.
