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#Palestine / Torture of medical staff in Israel - Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRi) urgent call to action
A new report by Physicians for Human Rights Israel documents horrific conditions faced by approximately 150 Palestinian healthcare workers detained from Gaza since October 2023.
The report reveals that approximately 150 Palestinian healthcare workers who are residents of Gaza are being held by Israel under harsh conditions. 'Israel is holding them because they are Palestinians, because of their origin from the Gaza Strip – but also because of the very fact that they are healthcare professionals,' the report states. Three doctors and a paramedic are among those who died in Israeli detention. The exact cause of their death is unknown, 'but we can only imagine what they went through in their final, terrifying moments.' According to data from the Palestinian Prisoner's Club, 63 Palestinian detainees have died in Israeli detention facilities since October 7, 2023, 40 of whom were residents of Gaza.
Documented War Crimes:
Medical staff were deliberately targeted and arrested while performing their duties in hospitals, violating Geneva Convention protections for healthcare workers
Systematic torture methods including:
- Physical beatings and sexual violence
- "Disco room" interrogations using sensory overload
- Deliberate starvation with insufficient food
- Medical negligence despite serious conditions
At least four detained medical professionals have died in custody: Dr. Adnan al-Bursh, Dr. Iyad al-Rantisi, Dr. Ziad al-Dalu, and paramedic Hamdan Abu Anba
Testimony Excerpts
"They beat us with batons one after another, especially the doctors. They asked each of us if he was a doctor." - Surgeon from al-Shifa Hospital
"They forced us to bark like dogs and imitate animal sounds." - Doctor detained at Sde Teiman
Most detainees have not been charged with any crime. Many were explicitly told they were only being held for intelligence gathering or "until the war ends."
The report concludes that these systematic practices constitute grave breaches of international humanitarian law and calls for immediate release of all detained medical personnel.
Hebrew https://www.phr.org.il/torture-of-medical-workers-in-israel
Englihs https://www.phr.org.il/en/torture-of-medical-workers/
Full report [PDF] https://www.phr.org.il/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/6265_DetentionReport_Eng.pdf
Testimonies [PDF] https://www.phr.org.il/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/6265_DetentionReport_Testemonials_Eng.pdf
Report was published on February 26.
See CNN coverage: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/27/middleeast/israel-gaza-detained-health-workers-phri-intl/index.html
The article mentioned that healthcare workers were held in multiple facilities, including Sde Teiman, Ktzi'ot Prison, Nafha Prison, Petah Tikva, and Ofer Prison.
The article referenced CNN's own previous investigation into conditions at #SdeTeiman, which revealed "horrific conditions" and sparked an international outcry.
The Israel Prison Service (#IPS) denied awareness of abuse.
The Israel Defense Forces (#IDF) rejected claims that medical workers were targeted based on their profession.
