"Israel" is currently detaining 95 Palestinian health workers, a new report by Healthcare Workers Watch revealed, in what rights groups describe as a systematic assault on medical services.

Of those detained, 80 are from the Gaza Strip and 15 from the occupied West Bank.

The investigation further documented the deaths of five health workers in Israeli custody and the forced disappearance of five others over the past two years, a pattern that raises alarm over "Israel’s" compliance with international laws requiring the protection of medical staff during wars.

The report highlights the significant toll these arrests have taken on Gaza’s already devastated health sector. The average age of the detainees is 39, placing them at the peak of their professional careers. On average, they have spent 511 days, around a year and a half, in detention.

Among those detained in Gaza are 17 doctors, 31 nurses, 14 paramedics, and key support staff whose absence has further strained an already collapsing health system.

In the occupied West Bank, the 15 detainees include seven doctors, two paramedics, and four medical students. The report argues that this broad sweep “appears to be aimed at dismantling the health care network throughout the Palestinian geography.”

Case of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya

One of the most notable cases is that of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, a pediatrician and director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, who was detained on December 27, 2024. Although his name reportedly appeared on the latest ceasefire agreement with Hamas, "Israel" has refused to release him.

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📌 Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, has now spent 320 days in Israeli detention after being seized during the army’s raid on the hospital last December. His family notes he is being unjustly held, and rights groups report he’s been denied… pic.twitter.com/OuY3JOSRIb

— Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) November 12, 2025

Abu Safiya is being held under "Israel’s unlawful combatants law,” which allows indefinite detention without trial. During the Israeli genocide, he had refused orders to evacuate and continued treating wounded Palestinians under heavy bombardment. Israeli authorities have not provided any explanation for his arrest, while international organizations continue to call for the protection of medical staff and their immediate release when no charges are presented.

Dr Hussam Abu Safiya walked towards an 🇮🇱 tank in defiance at the bombing of Kamal Adwan Hospital 🇵🇸

He is now one of 95 🇵🇸 Dr’s & Healthcare workers detained illegally by 🇮🇱

His ‘crime’ was to tirelessly care for the sick & wounded when 🇮🇱 attacked his hospital

Free him now. pic.twitter.com/TDlzqv1Znd

— Howard Beckett (@BeckettUnite) November 3, 2025

The report situates these detentions within the broader collapse of Gaza’s healthcare system. An infographic from the observatory maps the hospitals that have suffered extensive damage, including Kamal Adwan in the north, Gaza City’s Al-Shifa Hospital, and Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis.

Palestinian outrage over weaponization of medical staff

Palestinian officials have lately condemned the exclusion of Abu Safiya and other doctors, accusing "Israel" of weaponizing healthcare workers and violating international humanitarian norms. Human rights groups warn that preventing the return of key medical staff undermines the humanitarian objectives of the ceasefire.

Last month, a Hamas spokesperson stated, “Refusing to release doctors who serve the people of Gaza shows the occupation’s disregard for human life and sabotages efforts toward peace.”

Analysts say the move not only deepens the healthcare crisis in Gaza but also further erodes trust in negotiations and future detainee/prisoner-captive exchange agreements.

Humanitarian concerns undermine peace prospects

Observers warn that excluding medical professionals from release undermines the humanitarian framework of the deal and reflects a political calculus that prioritizes retribution over reconciliation.

Rights organizations have reiterated calls for the unconditional release of detained medical workers, highlighting the collapse of healthcare services across Gaza due to military attacks, siege conditions, and a lack of essential staff.

As the ceasefire unfolds, the exclusion of these Palestinian doctors continues to raise alarm about the sincerity of peace efforts and the long-term implications for Gaza’s health system and broader civilian infrastructure.