Washington (Web Desk): The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has urged President Joe Biden to take immediate action in securing the release of Dr Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza, who was reportedly detained by Israeli forces on Saturday.
Dr Safiya’s capture followed an Israeli bombing that destroyed the hospital, the last remaining medical facility in northern Gaza, rendering it out of service.
Reports suggest that Dr. Safiya was beaten and abused before being detained by Israeli forces.
CAIR condemned Israel's attacks on hospitals and medical staff, highlighting the disturbing reports of those who were captured during the incident.
Survivors of the Israeli assault described being subjected to degrading treatment, including physical violence, humiliation, and long hours of confinement in freezing conditions.
Some of the detainees were stripped of their clothing, photographed, and marked with numbers on their bodies before being released. Such actions, CAIR stressed, were clear violations of international law.
In a statement, CAIR’s National Executive Director Nihad Awad called for strong action from the Biden administration, urging it to demand an immediate halt to the targeting of medical personnel, patients, and hospitals by Israeli forces in Gaza.
He also called for the release of Dr Safiya and other detained healthcare workers. CAIR accused the US government of complicity in Israel’s ongoing actions in Gaza and labeled the assault on medical staff and facilities as part of a broader campaign of violence against Palestinians.
Since the beginning of the conflict on October 7, 2023, more than 45,000 Palestinians have been killed, many of them women and children, according to reports.
Alongside the mounting death toll, over two million people in Gaza are enduring severe deprivation, with limited access to food, water, and shelter. Dr. Safiya’s fate remains uncertain, and his abduction has sparked widespread concern across social media, where he is being hailed as a symbol of resilience for his work in Gaza.
CAIR has also reached out to the American Medical Association (AMA), urging it to speak out against the attacks on Gaza’s healthcare system. Despite sending a letter to the AMA president and board members, the organization has yet to receive a response.
The letter stressed the urgent need for medical professionals and humanitarian organizations worldwide to condemn Israel’s actions, which have already resulted in the deaths of over 1,000 healthcare workers in Gaza.
As the international community continues to respond to the crisis in Gaza, CAIR is calling for a unified stance to protect medical personnel and facilities from further attacks.
The group emphasized that these violations must be addressed with urgency, as the targeting of healthcare workers and infrastructure continues to escalate.
