More than 2,500 healthcare workers have signed a petition demanding the release of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya and other detained Gaza medics [1].
The movement highlights growing international medical concern over the treatment of healthcare providers in conflict zones and the legality of prolonged detention without charge.
Dr. Abu Safiya, a Gaza hospital director, was arrested on Dec. 27, 2024 [2]. He has since been held in Israeli detention facilities for over 550 days without being charged [2]. The petition calling for his freedom was delivered to the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) in London [1].
Protesters also demonstrated outside the RCP building to draw attention to the case [1]. The medical community argues that the detention of these workers without charge, and reports that they have been subjected to torture, violates international humanitarian law [1, 3].
"They brought me here to kill me," Dr. Abu Safiya said in a statement reported by Rabble.ca [4].
Rights groups have characterized the ongoing situation as a failure of legal and moral standards. A representative for a rights group said the decision to maintain the detention is a "profound moral and legal failure" [3].
The petition seeks to leverage the influence of the RCP to pressure authorities for the release of Abu Safiya and other medical staff currently held in Israeli prisons [1, 4].
“"They brought me here to kill me."”
The mobilization of thousands of healthcare professionals through the Royal College of Physicians suggests an attempt to shift the discourse from political conflict to professional ethics and international law. By framing the detention of Dr. Abu Safiya as a violation of humanitarian standards, the medical community is seeking to apply institutional pressure on the detaining power to adhere to global norms regarding the protection of medical personnel in war zones.
