Dr Hussam Abu Safiya is a paediatrician and was the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza. He has been held by Israel without charge since 27 December 2024 and, according to his lawyers, his life is in danger. On 16 June 2026, Israel's Supreme Court rejected his appeal for release and upheld his detention until at least October 2026. He has been held in solitary confinement since 3 June 2026; during a lawyer's visit on 2 July 2026, fresh marks of ill-treatment were documented. His detention rests on the Unlawful Combatants Law, which permits indefinitely renewable detention on secret evidence and without charge.
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Subject: Release of Dr Hussam Abu Safiya
Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to urge you to use every diplomatic and legal means available to New Zealand - bilaterally and through international bodies - to secure the immediate release of Dr Hussam Abu Safiya. Dr Abu Safiya is a paediatrician and was the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza. He has been held by Israel without charge since 27 December 2024. His lawyers and human rights organisations warn that his life is in immediate danger; there are reports of ill-treatment and of a critical state of health. On 16 June 2026, Israel's Supreme Court rejected his appeal for release and upheld his detention until at least October 2026. He has been held in solitary confinement since 3 June 2026; during a lawyer's visit on 2 July 2026, fresh marks of ill-treatment were documented. His detention rests on the Unlawful Combatants Law, which permits indefinitely renewable detention on secret evidence and without charge. The protection of medical personnel is guaranteed under international humanitarian law. As a state party to the Geneva Conventions and a country with a long record of standing up for international law and humanitarian principles, New Zealand carries a particular responsibility. The arbitrary detention of a doctor who cared for the sick and for children to the very end is incompatible with these principles. I therefore ask you: - to press publicly and with the Israeli government for his immediate and unconditional release, - to demand independent access to him (legal counsel, medical care, the International Committee of the Red Cross), - and to report on the steps taken. Please act before it is too late. Yours faithfully