Israeli courts reject release of 14 Palestinian doctors from Gaza

Israeli courts rejected petitions by Physicians for Human Rights to release 14 Palestinian doctors from Gaza held without trial, including Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya of Kamal Adwan Hospital, and denied him an independent medical exam despite documented weight loss.

Israeli courts rejected two petitions filed by Physicians for Human Rights regarding Palestinian doctors detained from the Gaza Strip. The Supreme Court refused to release 14 doctors, including hospital directors and specialists, who are held in Israeli prisons without charges or trial, some for over two years. The Central District Court in Lod also refused to allow Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in the northern Strip, to undergo an independent medical examination and obtain a second medical opinion. His medical records showed his weight dropped from 90 kilograms in January 2025 to 76 kilograms in May of the same year, along with decreased hemoglobin levels, chest pain, and bruises around his left eye. Israeli Professor Amit Tirush, after reviewing the medical file, confirmed that the data does not align with the court's decision that he only suffers from high blood pressure. The court based its refusal on security claims, some presented in closed sessions, and on the international campaign demanding his release. The association stressed that obtaining a second medical opinion is a right guaranteed by Israeli law.