A Palestinian physician from the Gaza Strip, detained by Israeli forces and held for 4 months, has died in detention, Palestinian officers and detainee rights teams say.
Dr. Adnan Ahmad Albursh, 50, the top of orthopedics at Al-Shifa Hospital, the Gaza Strip’s largest medical middle, was detained together with different medical doctors in December by Israeli forces once they raided a hospital, in keeping with the Palestinian Fee of Detainees’ Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners Membership, which advocate for the rights of Palestinian detainees held by Israel.
Israel’s navy and jail service didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark. The Occasions of Israel cited the navy as confirming that the Israeli jail service had declared Dr. Albursh lifeless on April 19, with out giving a explanation for demise. It mentioned he had been detained for nationwide safety causes.
Israel has detained 1000’s of Palestinians from Gaza, together with girls and kids. Former detainees have mentioned that they suffered beatings and different bodily abuse in Israeli custody, and the United Nations human rights workplace has mentioned Israel’s remedy of detainees would possibly quantity to torture, which Israel denies. Worldwide human rights teams say they’ve been denied entry to detainees.
Dozens of Palestinians have died in Israeli custody since Oct. 7, in keeping with the Israeli navy and rights teams. The Israeli navy has mentioned it’s conscious of the deaths of 27 Palestinians in its custody.
The prisoner rights teams accused Israel of abusing and killing Dr. Albursh, however didn’t supply proof for his or her claims, or say how they knew in regards to the circumstances of his confinement and demise.
Dr. Albursh was detained whereas at Al Awda Hospital, the place he fled after leaving Al Shifa, they mentioned.
“He had a dedication to proceed treating his fellow countrymen,” mentioned his nephew Khaled Albursh. “He might have left however he insisted on persevering with to deal with the wounded within the hospitals and even within the properties.”
Milena Ansari, an Israel and Palestine assistant researcher at Human Rights Watch, mentioned Dr. Albursh’s demise raised grave issues in regards to the remedy of Palestinian detainees, and referred to as for an unbiased investigation into the deaths of Palestinians in Israeli custody.
“This isn’t an remoted case,” she mentioned, including, “These chargeable for grave abuses needs to be prosecuted.”
The Israeli navy has alleged that Hamas, the Palestinian political and armed group that took management of Gaza in 2007, constructed a command middle in tunnels beneath Al-Shifa. Hamas and hospital directors have rejected that declare.
Gaza’s medical system has come below sustained assault since Israel started its devastating bombing marketing campaign and invasion of Gaza, in response to the Hamas-led assault in Israel on Oct. 7. Practically 500 medical employees have been killed, the Palestinian Ministry of Well being mentioned.
The World Well being Group mentioned that since Oct. 7, it has documented 443 assaults on well being care services leading to 723 fatalities.
On Dr. Albursh’s Fb web page, what gave the impression to be his final submit appeared on Nov. 20.: “We are going to die standing and we won’t kneel,” it mentioned.
Rawan Sheikh Ahmad contributed reporting.
