Coercion and Threats: New Details Emerge About Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya’s Suffering in Israeli Prisons

Occupied Palestine (Quds News Network)- A lawyer has revealed new details about the suffering of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiyeh, the director of Gaza’s Kamal Adwan Hospital who was abducted by Israeli forces in December 2024, in Israeli prisons.

Lawyer Ghaid Qassem details the immense coercion, threats and continuous pressure he has been subjected to since his abduction.

Last Thursday, the lawyer was able to visit Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya who has been imprisoned for over 70 days at Israel’s Ofer Prison, west of Ramallah, after spending nearly 14 days in the notorious Sde Teiman detention center.

Qasem shared Abu Safiya’s account, where he explained that “from the moment of his arrest, he was transferred to Sde Teiman, where he was held in isolation for 14 days. He was then moved to Ofer Prison and isolated for another 25 days. Afterward, he was transferred to Section 24 with other detainees from Gaza, one of the two sections where Gaza prisoners are held, in an attempt to isolate them from prisoners from the West Bank and occupied territories.”

Regarding the investigation, Qasem explained that “the longest interrogation Abu Safiya subjected to lasted 13 consecutive days, with each session lasting 8 to 10 hours. During this time, he was subjected to severe torture, abuse, and continuous mistreatment.”

When asked about the first thing Abu Safiya inquired about during their meeting, Qasem said, “Two months before his arrest, his son was killed in Gaza. Due to the circumstances, he was unable to bury him properly in a cemetery. Instead, his son was temporarily buried near Kamel Adwan Hospital. When the meeting began, Abu Safiya’s primary concern and first question was whether his son’s body had been properly and respectfully buried. He was also mourning the loss of his mother, who passed away 10 days after his arrest.”

Qasem added, “Abu Safiya had no idea how much media attention his case had gained, both locally, regionally, and internationally. Prisoners in isolation are almost completely cut off from the outside world and unaware of the developments happening in Gaza.”

Regarding the torture and oppression Abu Safiya described to Qasem, she said, “Sde Teiman is a slaughterhouse in every sense of the word. The torture, violations, and starvation there are unprecedented. We’re talking about prisoners who have been shackled for 10 months, prisoners whose limbs were amputated without treatment, elderly prisoners shackled and blindfolded, and prisoners who have lost 70 to 90 kilograms due to mistreatment. On top of that, there’s the freezing cold, with prisoners kept in open cages exposed to wind and rain, forced to sit on the ground at all times, forbidden from speaking to each other, and not allowed to pray or read the Quran.”

She continued, “In addition to the physical torture, there’s also psychological torment. The intelligence services sometimes tell a prisoner that their entire family has been killed, whether or not it’s true. The prisoner, completely isolated from all sources of information unless allowed a visit, is left to deal with this devastating news, which adds to the already immense trauma from the physical torture.”

Regarding the report aired by Israeli Channel 13, in which Abu Safiya appeared, Qasem said, “He was surprised by the filming. He had no idea it was happening, nor did he know who filmed him. After the interview, they isolated him, subjecting him to further humiliation, beatings, blackmail, and torture.”

The video shows him looking exhausted, pale, and with visible bruises on his face. His head is shaved, and his hands and feet are shackled.

As for Abu Safiya’s legal status, Qasem added, “The Israeli authorities tried to classify his case as a regular security file in order to file charges. After a series of investigations and severe torture, they failed to find any evidence against him after more than 45 days. So, they returned his file to its original classification as an ‘illegal combatant,’ a status that carries no rights—no right to legal representation or an indictment. Each time, his detention is extended without justification.”