Gaza: The director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza has lost more than one-third of his body weight during his time in Israeli detention, according to his defense lawyer.

According to Anadolu Agency, Gheed Kassem, the lawyer for Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, stated after a prison visit that Abu Safiya's weight had plummeted from 97 kilos (almost 214 pounds) to no more than 60 kilos (132 pounds). Kassem reported that Abu Safiya was subjected to beatings by Israeli prison guards on June 24, coinciding with the end of Israel's conflict with Iran.

Kassem detailed that Abu Safiya sustained injuries to his chin and back and is experiencing ongoing pain. Additionally, his glasses, which Kassem had previously managed to bring him, were destroyed. Further compounding his suffering, Abu Safiya is enduring untreated heart issues while being confined in a cold, damp underground cell at Ofer Prison without access to daylight.

In February, Israeli media broadcasted video footage of Abu Safiya in custody, appearing handcuffed and visibly exhausted. This footage emerged shortly after Israeli authorities labeled him as an 'illegal combatant.' In March, an Israeli court extended his detention by six months, as noted in a statement from the Hamas-run Prisoners' Media Office.

Abu Safiya's ordeal has been compounded by personal losses amid the ongoing Israeli offensive on Gaza. On October 26, 2024, his son Ibrahim was killed during an Israeli military raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital. A month later, an Israeli airstrike injured Abu Safiya while he was inside the hospital. Subsequently, on December 27, Israeli forces raided the hospital once more, destroying the facility and forcibly removing Abu Safiya at gunpoint.

Despite international calls for a ceasefire, Israel has continued its offensive on Gaza since October 2023, resulting in the deaths of nearly 58,500 Palestinians, predominantly women and children. The sustained bombardment has devastated the enclave, leading to food shortages and disease.

In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, citing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Concurrently, Israel is facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice concerning its actions in the enclave.