Dear Journalists and Members of the Press,
As physicians and healthcare professionals, we write to urgently draw your attention to a humanitarian crisis marked by grave violations of international law and the fundamental principle of medical neutrality.
Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, Director of Kamal Adwan Hospital and a pediatrician in Gaza, was detained by Israeli occupying forces on 27 December 2024 after refusing to abandon his patients. For more than eighteen months, he has remained in detention without formal charges under Israel's Incarceration of Unlawful Combatants Law. Reports by United Nations experts and leading human rights organizations indicate that he has been subjected to prolonged solitary confinement, physical abuse, and deprivation of adequate medical care, raising serious concerns regarding his health and well-being.
This is not an isolated case. When healthcare workers are targeted, it is not only individual lives that are harmed—the integrity of the entire healthcare system is undermined. The ultimate victims are children, patients, and other vulnerable civilians deprived of essential medical care. International humanitarian law affords special protection to healthcare personnel and medical facilities, even in times of armed conflict.
As world leaders gather at the NATO Summit to discuss global security and shared values, we respectfully submit that there can be no genuine security, nor any meaningful commitment to the rule of law, without safeguarding civilian life and protecting healthcare services. We are not asking you to adopt a political position. Rather, we appeal to your professional responsibility as journalists to bring this humanitarian crisis into the public eye.
Throughout the Summit, we respectfully urge you to ask world leaders the following questions:
- What concrete measures are being taken to ensure the protection of healthcare workers in armed conflicts and to uphold the principle of medical neutrality?
- How will international accountability be ensured for attacks against healthcare personnel and medical facilities, and for those responsible for such violations?
- Will diplomatic efforts be undertaken to secure an assessment of the legal status of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya and other detained healthcare workers under international law, and to seek their release?
Every question you ask will matter—not only for the freedom and fundamental rights of one physician, but also for the defence of international humanitarian law, the principle of medical neutrality, and our shared humanity.
Respectfully,
Standing Doctors Against Oppression – Türkiye
Updates
Reached 250 supporters
July 8, 2026
Reached 100 supporters
July 7, 2026
61 Comments
As a healthcare professional and as a human being, I believe that medical workers must be protected in every conflict, regardless of politics or nationality. Detaining a physician without charge after refusing to abandon patients raises serious humanitarian and legal concerns. Protecting medical neutrality is essential for safeguarding civilians, preserving healthcare systems, and upholding international humanitarian law. Speaking out for Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya is also speaking out for every doc.
Dr Abu Safiya was arresred several times and released again BECAUSE nothing was found against him. Then they only arrested him, because he didn’t want to leave his patients. This is not a crime! Forcing him to leave his patients die or arrest and torture him is one!!! The whole world knows he is not a Terrorist!
We need to release urgently our colleague Dr Abu Safiya. Doctors should be with their patients and not in jail, tortured. Dr Moro
Dünyanın en zor şartlarında çocukları, bebekleri tedavi eden bir doktora Dünya Sağlık Örgütü'nun ödül vermesi gerekirdi. Ama Dr Hüsam Ebu Safiya şimdi korkunç bir zulüm altında. Bu insanlık zülmünü bitirmemek, sessiz olmak zülme ortak olmaktır. Acilen Dr Hüsam Ebu Safiya'nın işinin başına dönmesi gerekir. Hüsam Ebu Safiya'nın ölüme terk edilmesi aynı zamanda tedavi edeceği çocuklarıda öldürmektir.
His detention by an illegal occupation is a violation of a plethora of Human Rights for no crime committed.
Israël against doctors and journalistes: Scandalous and criminal Israël. Makes Genocide against palestinien civilians!
Because we are “Human “
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Dear Journalists and Members of the Press,
As physicians and healthcare professionals, we write to urgently draw your attention to a humanitarian crisis marked by grave violations of international law and the fundamental principle of medical neutrality.
Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, Director of Kamal Adwan Hospital and a pediatrician in Gaza, was detained by Israeli occupying forces on 27 December 2024 after refusing to abandon his patients. For more than eighteen months, he has remained in detention without formal charges under Israel's Incarceration of Unlawful Combatants Law. Reports by United Nations experts and leading human rights organizations indicate that he has been subjected to prolonged solitary confinement, physical abuse, and deprivation of adequate medical care, raising serious concerns regarding his health and well-being.
This is not an isolated case. When healthcare workers are targeted, it is not only individual lives that are harmed—the integrity of the entire healthcare system is undermined. The ultimate victims are children, patients, and other vulnerable civilians deprived of essential medical care. International humanitarian law affords special protection to healthcare personnel and medical facilities, even in times of armed conflict.
As world leaders gather at the NATO Summit to discuss global security and shared values, we respectfully submit that there can be no genuine security, nor any meaningful commitment to the rule of law, without safeguarding civilian life and protecting healthcare services. We are not asking you to adopt a political position. Rather, we appeal to your professional responsibility as journalists to bring this humanitarian crisis into the public eye.
Throughout the Summit, we respectfully urge you to ask world leaders the following questions:
- What concrete measures are being taken to ensure the protection of healthcare workers in armed conflicts and to uphold the principle of medical neutrality?
- How will international accountability be ensured for attacks against healthcare personnel and medical facilities, and for those responsible for such violations?
- Will diplomatic efforts be undertaken to secure an assessment of the legal status of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya and other detained healthcare workers under international law, and to seek their release?
Every question you ask will matter—not only for the freedom and fundamental rights of one physician, but also for the defence of international humanitarian law, the principle of medical neutrality, and our shared humanity.
Respectfully,
Standing Doctors Against Oppression – Türkiye
Updates
Reached 250 supporters
July 8, 2026
Reached 100 supporters
July 7, 2026
61 Comments
Throughout the Summit, we respectfully urge you to ask world leaders the following questions: What concrete measures are being taken to ensure the protection of healthcare workers in armed conflicts and to uphold the principle of medical neutrality? How will international accountability be ensured for attacks against healthcare personnel and medical facilities, and for those responsible for such violations? Will diplomatic efforts be undertaken to secure an assessment of the legal status of Dr.
As a healthcare professional and as a human being, I believe that medical workers must be protected in every conflict, regardless of politics or nationality. Detaining a physician without charge after refusing to abandon patients raises serious humanitarian and legal concerns. Protecting medical neutrality is essential for safeguarding civilians, preserving healthcare systems, and upholding international humanitarian law. Speaking out for Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya is also speaking out for every doc.
Dr Abu Safiya was arresred several times and released again BECAUSE nothing was found against him. Then they only arrested him, because he didn’t want to leave his patients. This is not a crime! Forcing him to leave his patients die or arrest and torture him is one!!! The whole world knows he is not a Terrorist!
We need to release urgently our colleague Dr Abu Safiya. Doctors should be with their patients and not in jail, tortured. Dr Moro
Dünyanın en zor şartlarında çocukları, bebekleri tedavi eden bir doktora Dünya Sağlık Örgütü'nun ödül vermesi gerekirdi. Ama Dr Hüsam Ebu Safiya şimdi korkunç bir zulüm altında. Bu insanlık zülmünü bitirmemek, sessiz olmak zülme ortak olmaktır. Acilen Dr Hüsam Ebu Safiya'nın işinin başına dönmesi gerekir. Hüsam Ebu Safiya'nın ölüme terk edilmesi aynı zamanda tedavi edeceği çocuklarıda öldürmektir.
His detention by an illegal occupation is a violation of a plethora of Human Rights for no crime committed.
Israël against doctors and journalistes: Scandalous and criminal Israël. Makes Genocide against palestinien civilians!
Because we are “Human “
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Throughout the Summit, we respectfully urge you to ask world leaders the following questions: What concrete measures are being taken to ensure the protection of healthcare workers in armed conflicts and to uphold the principle of medical neutrality? How will international accountability be ensured for attacks against healthcare personnel and medical facilities, and for those responsible for such violations? Will diplomatic efforts be undertaken to secure an assessment of the legal status of Dr.