Calls for the release of Gaza hospital director detained by Israel

Palestinians, campaigners express concern after Abu Safia and others from Kamal Adwan Hospital are detained by Israel.

Calls have been made for the release of Hussam Abu Safia, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, who was detained on Saturday with dozens of others by the Israeli military during a raid on the facility in northern Gaza.

Fears are growing over the safety of Abu Sufia, whose whereabouts remain unknown since he was detained from the last barely functioning medical facility in northern Gaza, which has been pulverised by relentless Israeli bombings during a weeks-long military siege of the area.

MedGlobal, a humanitarian NGO providing healthcare in disaster areas, has demanded Abu Safia’s immediate release, while the World Health Organization (WHO) said it was “appalled” by the raid on the hospital.

The last picture of Abu Safia, widely shared on social media, showed him walking towards an Israeli tank near the Kamal Adwan Hospital, which was burned down by the Israeli forces during the violent raid on Friday.

The Israeli military said on Saturday that Abu Safia was held for questioning, on suspicion of “being a Hamas terrorist operative”. It arrested more than 240 people from the hospital premises.