Israeli military pressed on location of Gaza doctor

The group Physicians for Human Rights on Friday demanded to know where Gaza-based Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya was. The organization said that on Dec. 27, 2024, Israeli soldiers arrested Abu Safiya while raiding a hospital in Gaza. The organization cited a witness to his arrest, another doctor who claimed to see Israeli soldiers dress Abu Safiya up in a white prison uniform.

Physicians for Human Rights said that on the day of Abu Safiya’s arrest, the Israeli military confirmed that he was in custody. But afterward, documentation of his whereabouts ceased, the organization said. When the physicians’ organization tried to schedule a lawyer to visit Abu Safiya, the Israeli military said that Abu Safiya was not in their custody and was not under arrest. The organization said that contradicted clear evidence that he was arrested.

The Times of Israel reported last week that a story posted to Abu Safiya’s Instagram page indicated that he was not arrested and was fine. The outlet said that the post did not appear to have been written by Abu Safiya himself. The outlet also noted that the Israeli military had not responded to questions about the doctor’s whereabouts. But the BBC reported on Friday that the Israeli military had confirmed Abu Safiya was in its custody. 

Why is the disappearance of this doctor a big deal? The organization claims that hundreds of forced disappearances of medical personnel have taken place since Israel invaded Gaza. These forced disappearances have deprived people in Gaza of essential medical care, Physicians for Human Rights said.

Dig deeper: Read my report about the IDF’s killing of a Hamas leader in Gaza yesterday.