"Though he had many chances to leave, he chose to stay with his patients even as Israeli attacks escalated. With each passing month, the toll deepened. His son was killed, his hospital repeatedly struck, and his life threatened. Still, he remained at Kamal Adwan. His resilience was captured in a 10-second video: a lone paediatrician in a white coat walking through rubble towards Israeli forces. To the world, it symbolised defiance. To his family and colleagues, it reflected who he always was."
"By late 2024, as Israel intensified its campaign to drive Palestinians out of northern Gaza, hospitals became both sanctuaries and targets. Kamal Adwan, a 300-bed facility already battered by shortages and bombardment, became a focal point of that campaign. On December 27, 2024, Israeli forces stormed the hospital, detaining 240 staff and patients, stripping them, and rendering the facility inoperable."
Dr Hussam Abu Safiya served as a paediatrician in northern Gaza for more than two decades and rose to lead Kamal Adwan Hospital. He repeatedly refused opportunities to leave, remaining with patients despite escalating Israeli attacks that killed his son, struck his hospital, and threatened his life. A brief video showed him walking through rubble toward Israeli forces, symbolising defiance. By late 2024 Israel intensified efforts to drive Palestinians from northern Gaza, and hospitals became both sanctuaries and targets. On December 27, 2024, Israeli forces stormed Kamal Adwan, detained 240 staff and patients, stripped them, and rendered the facility inoperable. Abu Safiya was beaten and held under the Unlawful Combatants Law with no charges or release date. Firsthand testimony, archival footage, and on-the-ground reporting document the assault and broader targeting of Gaza's healthcare system.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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