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 greatest medical middle, was detained together with different medical doctors in December by Israeli forces after 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 army didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark. The Occasions of Israel cited the army as confirming that the Israeli jail service had declared Dr. Albursh useless on April 19, with out giving a explanation for demise. It stated he had been detained for nationwide safety causes.
Israel has detained 1000’s of Palestinians from Gaza, together with ladies and youngsters. Former detainees have stated that they suffered beatings and different bodily abuse in Israeli custody, and the United Nations human rights workplace has stated Israel’s therapy of detainees may 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 army and rights teams. The Israeli army has stated 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 stated.
“He had a dedication to proceed treating his fellow countrymen,” stated 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, the assistant researcher for Palestine for Human Rights Watch, stated Dr. Albursh’s demise raised grave considerations in regards to the therapy of Palestinian detainees, and known as for an impartial investigation into the deaths of Palestinians in Israeli custody.
“This isn’t an remoted case,” she stated, including, “These chargeable for grave abuses ought to be prosecuted.”
The Israeli army 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 beneath 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. Almost 500 medical staff have been killed, the Palestinian Ministry of Well being stated.
The World Well being Group stated that since Oct. 7, it has documented 443 assaults on well being care amenities leading to 723 fatalities.
On Dr. Albursh’s Fb web page, what seemed to be his final publish appeared on Nov. 20.: “We’ll die standing and we is not going to kneel,” it stated.
Rawan Sheikh Ahmad contributed reporting.
