The Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP

Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs 

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

King Charles Street

London

SW1A 2AH 

08 July 2026

Re: Request for urgent intervention in the case of Dr Hussam Abu Safiya and securing his immediate release from Israeli detention and transfer to the International Committee of the Red Cross

Dear Foreign Secretary,

I write to you about an urgent time critical matter. You must arrange for the immediate release of Palestinian hostage, Dr Hussam Abu Safiya and secure his transfer into the custody of the International Committee of the Red Cross on humanitarian grounds.

A statement issued by Dr Safiya’s legal team relayed through Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI)[1] has confirmed that Dr Hussam Abu Safiya, a paediatrician and Director of Kamal Adwan Children’s Hospital in northern Gaza, is now critically ill and in need of immediate hospitalisation while still held in Israeli detention.

Dr Hussam Abu Safiya has been held and tortured without charge or trial for over 18 months, since the 27 December 2024. He was arrested while on duty at his hospital in Gaza City (Amnesty International 2026)[2] and his lawyers have reported clear signs of psychological stress and torture. Dr Hussam Abu Safiya has directly told his lawyers that his life is in grave immediate danger. His lawyers have stated that at their last interaction he was unrecognizable due to beatings and assaults sustained to his face.

In blatant violation of its obligations under international law, Israel has denied ICRC visits to Palestinian prisoners and detainees since October 2023. Dr Hussam Abu Safiya is being held in Rakevet detention centre, an underground section beneath the Ayalon prison complex, where detainees, mostly Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, are subjected to systematic torture and inhumane treatment[3]. The detention centre was re-opened during the Genocide having been originally closed in 1985 for its inhumane conditions.

The United Kingdom Government stated on the 2 July 2026 that “the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture provides us with an opportunity to reaffirm our unwavering commitment to prevent and eradicate torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. The prohibition of torture under international law is absolute and unconditional.”[4] 

We call on the UK Government to affirm this commitment by taking action for Dr Hussam Abu Safiya without delay[5]. We demand the Foreign Secretary, the Minister for the Middle East, and Members of Parliament to urgently publicly demand that the Government of Israel;

1.      Grant Dr Hussam Abu Safiya an immediate independent medical evaluation by the ICRC followed by emergency hospitalisation;

2.      Arrange for Dr Hussam Abu Safiya’s immediate release from detention on humanitarian grounds without further delay;

3.      Demand that Itamar Ben-Gvir and the Israeli Prison Service ensure any transfer to hospital guarantees Dr Hussam Abu Safiya’s family and legal counsel access to him.

The facts of this case are clear, Dr. Safiya was abducted from Kamal Adwan Children’s Hospital because he refused to abandon his patients. He has been held under Israel’s “Unlawful Combatant Law” without the evidence against him being disclosed. This framework strips detainees of the protections guaranteed to them under the Geneva Conventions[6]. The documentation of his treatment includes:

-          Prolonged solitary confinement;

-          Severe weight loss and physical deterioration;

-          Injuries consistent with torture and beatings;

-          Systematic denial of medical examination and treatment for chronic conditions;

-          Denial of basic aids, including glasses;

-          Isolation from legal counsel and family.

We, the undersigned, call upon you to uphold the UK Government’s commitment to the prevention of torture, specifically its obligations under the UN Convention Against Torture[7]. We are deeply concerned that Israel’s routine violations of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights Law have become normalised, as we continue to allow an allied state to breach these laws with impunity. We must remain steadfast in our commitment that doctors and health care workers are not targets.

Yours sincerely,

[1] https://www.phr.org.il/en/save-dr-abu-safiya/
[2] Amnesty International 06 July 2026- Israel/ OPT: Fears mounting for arbitrarily detained Palestinian doctor Hussam Abu Safiya amidst reports his life is in grave danger
[3] Al Mayadeen English- 19 October 2025- Palestinian prisoners face abuse and starvation in Ramla prison
[4] https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/international-day-in-support-of-victims-of-torture-2026-joint-statement-to-the-osce
[5] https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/07/israel-must-immediately-release-dr-hussam-abu-safiya-un-experts
[6] https://www.btselem.org/publications/summaries/200910_without_trial
[7] https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/convention-against-torture-and-other-cruel-inhuman-or-degrading