Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, a Palestinian doctor specializing in pediatrics and neonatology, was detained in December 2024 by Israeli forces for refusing to leave his patients and staff. He has been subjected to daily violence and beatings and has been denied proper medical care. Thirteen other Palestinian physicians have also been detained and are in a similar situation to Dr. Safiya. The United Nations Human Rights Council on Arbitrary Detention condemned Dr. Abu Safiya’s detention, torture and denial of treatment. 

THIS EMERGENCY PANEL CALLS FOR: 

1. The immediate cessation of the torture and release of Dr. Abu Safiya and the 13 other Palestinian physicians detained in Israeli jails. 

2. Urgent transfer to another facility with comprehensive medical examination and treatment. 

3. An independent international investigation into the treatment of Dr. Abu Safiya and other medical personnel in Israeli prisons, including the potential involvement of Israeli physicians in torture, abuse, and denial of care. 

4. Immediate public engagement by the WMA, IMA, and national medical societies to publicly support these requests + formal demand for ICRC access to Dr. Abu Safiya. 

Moderators: Dr. Ruth Gibson, Scholar, Stanford University Dr. Keith Martin, Executive Director, CUGH Featured Speakers: Naji Abbas, Dir. Prisoners & Detainees, PHR-Israel Prof. Tom Dannenbaum, Professor of Law, Stanford University Prof. Naftali Kaminski, Yale University Dr. Thaer Ahmed, Humanitarian Emergency Physician This webinar originally aired on Friday July 10th, 2026