Palestinian Ministry Of Health Demands Immediate Release Of All Israeli-Detained Health Workers

Israeli troops in the Gaza Strip. (Source: IDF Spokesperson)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Health strongly condemns and condemns the detention and mistreatment of the Director of Kamal Adwan Hospital Dr. Hussam Abu Safiyya, by Israeli occupation forces on Saturday.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Ministry of Health stated the incident was a violation of human rights and the rights of health workers, who were at the forefront of protecting the health of citizens and providing the necessary medical care.

The ministry condemned this repeated criminal act, calling for the immediate release of detained doctors and urgent interventions to secure the release of other health workers detained in Israeli prisons, quoted from WAFA December 30.

The ministry also reiterated the insistence on the full protection of all health workers to ensure they can carry out their professional duties in a safe and secure environment.

Prior to the detention of Dr. Abu Safiyya, Israeli forces had detained him along with hospital staff and interrogated them for hours, the ministry said. This scene has been repeated in every attack by Israeli troops against medical centers across the southern province, he added.

It is emphasized that any attack on doctors or patients, or their detention, because of their humanitarian duty in serving citizens, is a violation of human rights and their professional rights.

Last year, Israeli forces detained more than 310 health workers from various specialties. About 1,060 health workers have been killed, some of whom were tortured in detention. Hundreds of others were injured, which is a huge loss to skilled personnel and expertise, a blow to the health system as a whole, the Ministry of Health said in a statement.

He added that any threat or attack on a doctor or health worker is a threat to public safety and the right of citizens to receive medical treatment in a safe and stable environment.