Lawyer Nasser Odeh reported that his latest legal visit to Palestinian doctor Hossam Abu Safiya revealed “harsh conditions” inside prison, where he remains shackled hand and foot, denied clean drinking water, sufficient food, and regular medical care despite chronic illnesses. Odeh visited him on May 26 before Abu Safiya was transferred on June 3 from Ketziot Prison to solitary confinement in Nafha Prison in southern Israel. Days pass without updates on his condition, raising concerns over denial of essential medication.

The visit took place in a camera-monitored room, with Abu Safiya shackled throughout. Communication was via phone behind a glass barrier, with guards present, limiting his ability to speak freely for fear of retaliation. Odeh noted that his client was beaten and abused when moved to Ketziot in February, leaving him with severe back and neck pain. Israeli forces had arrested him on December 27, 2024, during a raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, where he served as director amid the ongoing war.

On February 14, 2025, the Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights reported that Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman ordered Abu Safiya’s detention under Israel’s “Unlawful Combatant Law” of 2002. This law allows indefinite detention without charges or evidence, denies protections under the Third and Fourth Geneva Conventions, and grants courts broad powers to extend detention based on vague security claims. Odeh confirmed an appeal has been filed with Israel’s High Court of Justice, with a hearing scheduled for June 10.

Abu Safiya’s family holds Israeli authorities and prison administration fully responsible for his life, calling solitary confinement a “serious escalation” and punitive measure amid ongoing denial of treatment. Legal and rights reports state he suffers from chronic heart disease and hypertension, contracted scabies due to poor conditions, and lost about 25 kilograms from malnutrition and neglect.

The UN, WHO, ICRC, and international rights and medical organizations have urged Israel to ensure his safety and provide necessary medical care. Israel currently detains about 9,500 Palestinian prisoners, including children and women, facing starvation, torture, and medical neglect, which rights groups say has led to dozens of deaths.