Many doctors and medical professionals unite and demand action to demand the release of Dr. Hussam Abu Sabia and at least 94 Palestinian Medicals currently run by the Israeli authorities.
On Monday, in an event organized by the Health Workers’ Union (HWW) and Amnesty International UK, doctors and health workers protested outside St Thomas’s hospital in St Thomas in London, calling all health workers who are currently imprisoned in Israel.
The protest comes just days after the Israeli Court was closed for six months under the Ratatants Offlect Law.
Healthcare Worker Wheep (HWW), Amnesty International UK, doctors and health workers protested outside St Thomas’ Hospital in Central London on October 20 [Image courtesy Healthcare Workers Watch]
An additional five health workers have died or been killed while detained in Israel, and five others are missing, their whereabouts unknown. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, at least 1,722 health workers have been killed in Israeli strikes in the past two years.
According to HWW, many health workers were abducted by Israeli forces from their hospitals or ambulances while on duty. The evidence collected by HWW and other organizations concerns the torture and abuse Palestinians endure under the supervision of Israel.
Dr. Rebecca Inglis, a critical care physician and founder of Gaza Medic Voices, says: “Israel’s ongoing detention of almost a hundred health workers is given the overwhelming evidence given the extensive evidence that the detainees are Palestinian.”
Who is Dr. Hussam Abu Sabia?
Abu Sabiadirector of the Kamal Adan hospital in North Gaza, was arrested by Israeli forces on December 27, 2024, after the forces attacked the hospital, which at the time was one of the last medical facilities in the region.
Amnesty International says the director of the hospital is being held without charge or on trial under Israel’s security law.
Despite his son’s chronic flare-ups and his son’s death in an Israeli airstrike, Abu Sasizi stayed on the job, tending to patients and leading his team in hypothetical situations.
Since the detention, it has been reported by credible reports that there have been abuses, physical abuse and degrading treatment, including suffering from high weight and denial of adequate medical care, hygiene and timely access to official services – in clear violation of international law.
Israel’s attack on Gaza’s health infrastructure
At least 94 percent of Gaza’s hospitals have been damaged or destroyed, and many are no longer operational. In addition to this, skilled doctors and health workers have been killed, and coupled with the detention of health workers – many of whom have been arrested while working in hospitals and health centers – has added to the high pressure on health risks in Gaza.
Between October 7, 2023, to October 20, 2025, HWW documented 431 cases of Palestinian WorkCare workers.
As of October 20, 2025:
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309 of the 431 health workers have now been confirmed to have been evacuated; 67 were released as part of the latest Exchange Agreement on October 13
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Five health workers are still missing (three senior doctors, a permanent pharmacist and a large physiotherapist)
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However, it is reported that five HCWs were killed or died in Israeli custody, and their bodies were not returned to their families.
HWW said that it has not received an update on the families of 22 health workers, who are not included in “verified” or “verified issued”.
(Al Jazeera)
Who are some health care professionals?
Health care professionals still detained by Israel have spent an average of 511 days in detention, with others held captive since the first weeks of the war.
Of the 95 arrested, 80 are from Gaza, and the remaining 15 are from the West Bank where he lives.
From Gaza alone, 31 nurses were arrested, followed by 17 doctors, six hospital administrators, 14 paramedics, two pharmacists and two medical specialists. Twenty-five held senior positions, 50 occupied middle positions, and five were health workers in Junior Healthcare. All except when one is male.
Most of the health care workers lived in North Gaza, and 36 prisoners from there, followed by 24 from Khan Younis, 18 from Gaza City and 3 from Rafah.
The table below lists more information about the 95 health workers who were still being held captive by Israel.
