365 Days Without Charge: The Detention of Dr. Hussam Abu Safia

It's been exactly 365 days since Dr. Hussam Abu Safia, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, was taken into Israeli custody. Today, on December 27, 2025, his family is sounding the alarm as his health reaches a breaking point without a single formal charge ever being filed.

The Siege and the Standoff

The ordeal began at dawn on December 27, 2024, when Israeli tanks surrounded the medical facility. Despite orders to evacuate, Abu Safia refused to abandon his patients. Colleagues recall the moment he was summoned to an armored vehicle, only to be detained while the rest of the staff was forced to flee under fire.

While Israeli media later released footage claiming the doctor was treated with respect, eyewitness accounts from fellow medics suggest a different story—one of physical assault and threats during the initial interrogation in the freezing cold.

Legal Limbo: The Unlawful Combatant Law

Israel holds Abu Safia under the 'unlawful combatant' law. This controversial statute allows for indefinite detention without a standard criminal trial and denies detainees the right to see the evidence against them. Since his arrest, the 52-year-old has reportedly lost over one-third of his body weight and suffers from worsening heart conditions.