Summary
Finn Rights is demanding the immediate and unconditional release of sixteen Palestinian medical professionals currently held in Israeli detention.
In a statement issued from Helsinki and Geneva on July 20, 2026, the organization said the doctors who treated the wounded throughout the Gaza war are now facing prolonged isolation, starvation rations, and denial of medical care, in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention’s protections for medical personnel.
Why These Doctors Were Detained
According to reports from the Palestinian Center for Prisoners Advocacy, the sixteen physicians remained at their hospital posts during sustained bombardment in Gaza, continuing to treat patients under extreme conditions.
Finn Rights says they are now being punished for that work rather than for any legitimate offense, and describes their treatment as a systematic violation of humanitarian principles that protect medical staff during armed conflict.
What Is the Fourth Geneva Convention?
The Fourth Geneva Convention is one of four international treaties that set the legal standards for humanitarian treatment during war. It specifically protects civilians and medical personnel, requiring that doctors, nurses, and hospital staff be allowed to carry out their duties without interference, arrest, or punishment for treating the wounded, regardless of which side of a conflict those patients belong to.
Medical neutrality is treated as a core principle of the Convention: healthcare workers are not combatants and must not be targeted, detained, or punished simply for doing their jobs. Finn Rights argues that the detention of these sixteen doctors directly breaches this protection.
Who Are the Most At-Risk Detainees?
Two cases have drawn particular concern from Finn Rights:
Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya served as Director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, one of the last functioning medical facilities in the area during the height of the bombardment. He continued to lead emergency care operations even as the hospital came under repeated strikes and siege conditions. Since his detention, Finn Rights reports he has faced severe abuse, prolonged isolation, and direct threats to his life, raising urgent concern for his safety.
Dr. Marwan al-Hams previously directed Gaza’s field hospitals, coordinating emergency medical response across multiple makeshift treatment sites during the conflict. He is now reportedly being denied essential medication needed to manage his health, along with all contact with his family. Finn Rights says his condition has declined sharply since his detention began.
Enforced Disappearance Concerns
Finn Rights notes that the whereabouts of several detained doctors are being deliberately concealed by Israeli authorities. Under international law, this practice is classified as enforced disappearance — recognized as a crime against humanity.
The Sixteen Detained Physicians
- Dr. Ahmad Shehadeh
- Dr. Mahmoud al-Hallak
- Dr. Raed Mahdi
- Dr. Murad al-Qouqa
- Dr. Hamza Abu Subha
- Dr. Ahmad Mousa
- Dr. Nahed Abu Tu’ayma
- Dr. Ghassan Abu Zuhri
- Dr. Musab Samaan
- Dr. Hassan al-Muqayyad
- Dr. Mohammed Obeid
- Dr. Akram Abu Odeh
- Dr. Marwan al-Hams
- Dr. Omar Ammar
- Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya
- Dr. Medhat Abu Tabanga
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the 16 Palestinian doctors detained by Israel?
They are Gaza-based physicians, including Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya and Dr. Marwan al-Hams, who treated patients during the war and are now held in Israeli detention.
What conditions are the doctors facing in detention?
Reports describe prolonged isolation, denial of family visits, starvation rations, and lack of essential medical care.
What is the Fourth Geneva Convention?
An international treaty that protects civilians and medical personnel during war, prohibiting the targeting or punishment of healthcare workers for treating the wounded.
What is Finn Rights demanding?
An end to mistreatment, independent medical exams, family visits, and either transparent charges or unconditional release.
Who is Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya?
Director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, reportedly subjected to severe abuse and threats to his life in detention.
Finn Rights’ Demands
Finn Rights is calling on the Government of Israel to:
- Stop mistreatment Cease all forms of torture and ill-treatment against the detained medical staff.
- Independent oversight Grant access to independent medical examinations.
- Family contact Permit immediate family visits.
- Legal clarity Either bring transparent, due-process-compliant charges, or release the doctors without further delay.
The organization also urges the International Committee of the Red Cross, the United Nations, and all states party to the Geneva Conventions to press Israeli authorities to meet their legal obligations, stating that targeting medical workers constitutes both a war crime and an assault on humanitarian principles broadly.
These doctors saved lives under bombardment. Now Finn Rights demands their freedom →