Occupied Palestine (Quds News Network)- Israeli Channel 13 has broadcasted a report including footage of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza, inside an Israeli detention center. 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.
The footage has sparked outrage as the Israelis deliberately manipulated his statements. Dr. Abu Safiya, who does not speak English or Hebrew fluently, was questioned in English by the Israeli reporter. He appeared visibly distressed and uncertain, raising concerns that the interview was conducted under coercion.
In the footage, the Israeli journalist asks Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya about his marital status and whether he has children. He hesitates before answering, possibly out of fear, as the Israeli army had previously killed his child to pressure him.
Israeli forces arrested Dr. Abu Safiya on December 28, 2024, from Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza after besieging the hospital then attacking it. The Israeli military transferred him to detention under the “Unlawful Combatant Law,” bypassing the standard legal process. The decision came from the so-called commander of Israel’s Southern Region.
Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights condemned the kidnapping of dr. Abu Safiya as arbitrary, illegal, and retaliatory. The organization stated that labeling Dr. Abu Safiya as an “unlawful combatant” signals the prosecution’s failure to present evidence against him. It also accused Israeli authorities of depriving him of his right to a fair trial.
Dr. Abu Safiya’s family denounced the Israeli media’s portrayal of him. “The footage is another form of psychological terrorism, adding to the torture he has endured over the past two months,” they said in a statement. They stated that Israeli media manipulated his responses, particularly when he was asked about Israeli prisoners.
“When asked, he responded that he is a pediatrician, yet his answer was deliberately distorted to fit a false narrative,” the family added.
