Tlaib, Democrats Call for Israel to Release Palestinian Doctors From Detention

Truthout is an indispensable resource for activists, movement leaders and workers everywhere. Please make this work possible with a quick donation . A group of House Democrats has called for Israel to release hundreds of health care workers, including physicians like Hussam Abu Safiya, from detention as Israel’s genocide in Gaza reaches into its fourth year. Six Democrats, led by Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García (Illinois), released a joint statement on Tuesday condemning Israel for its “systematic persecution” of Palestinian health care workers and demanding their release from arbitrary detention. “Over the last three years, the Israeli government has systematically destroyed the health system in Palestine, murdering at least 1,700 Palestinian doctors, nurses, paramedics, and other healthcare workers and destroying dozens of hospitals. It has arrested and arbitrarily detained hundreds of Palestinian healthcare workers, including at least 16 physicians who continue to be held in inhumane conditions,” the lawmakers wrote. The Democrats specifically call for the release of Abu Safiya, who Israel has held in its torture camps for nearly two years, where they have starved and tortured him , his lawyer says. Abu Safiya is a pediatrician who served as the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza when Israel besieged the area. The world watched in December 2024 as Israel’s ground raid closed in on Kamal Adwan, with Israeli forces eventually ordering the entire facility to be evacuated, setting it ablaze and arresting Abu Safiya. The hospital was left in ruins after Israeli soldiers were done with it. Related Story News Analysis | Human Rights I Saw Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya Save Lives. Now Israel Is Holding Him Hostage. Israel forced Abu Safiya to choose between his own safety and caring for his patients. He chose his patients. By Ohood Nassar , T ruthout August 8, 2026 Truthout “Among [those detained] is Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, whom the Israeli government has arbitrarily detained since 2024 and tortured to the point of near-death after previously murdering his son and brutally attacking his hospital,” the lawmakers went on. The statement was signed by Representatives Pramila Jayapal (Washington), Summer Lee (Pennsylvania), Ilhan Omar (Minnesota), Delia C. Ramirez (Illinois), and Rashida Tlaib (D-Michigan). Israel's systematic destruction of the Palestinian healthcare system and targeting of healthcare workers is at the heart of its genocide. We must stand up for those targeted for saving lives. Free Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya. Free Dr. Mazen Rantisi. Free Dr. Dima Amin.… — Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (@RepRashida) October 7, 2026 The Democrats also called for an end to arms transfers to Israel and urged Congress to block the Trump administration’s planned $2.8 billion package of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel — which is slated to be paid for by U.S. taxpayers. Other Democrats have also vowed to work against that transfer. In three years of genocide in Gaza, Israel has killed more than 1,700 health care workers and has left zero hospitals fully functioning in the enclave. Israeli forces have also detained more than 400 health care workers from Gaza without charges or a trial in their torture camps. Israel has killed nearly 600 aid workers since October 7, 2023, according to UN counts. “Over the past three years, people’s ability to access health care in Gaza has deteriorated dramatically, with medical facilities lying in ruins, hospitals increasingly running out of basic supplies, and patients unable to access essential medicines and treatments. Restrictions on essential supplies such as engine oil and spare parts are also crippling the infrastructure needed to keep hospitals, ambulances, and water systems running, with generators breaking down and water-trucking operations reduced,” said Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in a statement on Monday. “It will take generations to recover from the harm that has already been done over the past three years, and in the preceding decades, while the excruciating consequences of Israel’s ongoing genocide are still being felt every day,” said Amande Bazerolle, the head of MSF’s emergency response in Gaza. 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Prohibited: You cannot use this work for commercial purposes. Article HTML Republish HTML code for copying <h1>Tlaib, Democrats Call for Israel to Release Palestinian Doctors From Detention</h1> By Sharon Zhang This article was originally published by <a href src="https://truthout.org/articles/tlaib-democrats-call-for-israel-to-release-palestinian-doctors-from-detention/">Truthout</a> Israel has killed over 1,700 Palestinian health care workers in three years of genocide in Gaza. A group of House Democrats has called for Israel to release hundreds of health care workers, including physicians like Hussam Abu Safiya, from detention as Israel’s genocide in Gaza reaches into its fourth year. Six Democrats, led by Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García (Illinois), released a <a href="https://chuygarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases/garcia-colleagues-issue-joint-statement-condemning-israel-s-persecution-of-palestinian-healthcare-workers">joint statement</a> on Tuesday condemning Israel for its “systematic persecution” of Palestinian health care workers and demanding their release from arbitrary detention. “Over the last three years, the Israeli government has systematically destroyed the health system in Palestine, murdering at least 1,700 Palestinian doctors, nurses, paramedics, and other healthcare workers and destroying dozens of hospitals. It has arrested and arbitrarily detained hundreds of Palestinian healthcare workers, including at least 16 physicians who continue to be held in inhumane conditions,” the lawmakers wrote. The Democrats specifically call for the release of Abu Safiya, who <a href="https://truthout.org/articles/i-saw-dr-hussam-abu-safiya-save-lives-now-israel-is-holding-him-hostage/">Israel has held</a> in its torture camps for nearly two years, where they have starved <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/3/no-end-to-torture-of-gaza-doctor-abu-safiya-in-israeli-prison-what-to-know">and tortured him</a>, his lawyer says. Abu Safiya is a pediatrician who served as the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza when Israel besieged the area. The world watched in December 2024 as Israel’s ground raid closed in on Kamal Adwan, with Israeli forces eventually <a href="https://truthout.org/articles/israel-orders-total-evacuation-of-north-gaza-hospital-sets-facility-ablaze/">ordering the entire facility</a> to be evacuated, setting it ablaze and <a href="https://truthout.org/articles/report-israel-detaining-north-gaza-hospital-director-in-notorious-torture-camp/">arresting</a> Abu Safiya. The hospital <a href="https://www.unicef.org/sop/stories/kamal-adwan-hospital-hope-ruin-and-back-again">was left in ruins</a> after Israeli soldiers were done with it. “Among [those detained] is Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, whom the Israeli government has arbitrarily detained since 2024 and tortured to the point of near-death after previously murdering his son and brutally attacking his hospital,” the lawmakers went on. The statement was signed by Representatives Pramila Jayapal (Washington), Summer Lee (Pennsylvania), Ilhan Omar (Minnesota), Delia C. Ramirez (Illinois), and Rashida Tlaib (D-Michigan). The Democrats also called for an end to arms transfers to Israel and urged Congress to block the Trump <a href="https://truthout.org/articles/report-trump-transferring-3b-worth-of-bombs-to-israel-funded-by-us-taxpayers/">administration’s planned</a> $2.8 billion package of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel — which is slated to be paid for by U.S. taxpayers. Other Democrats <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/16/trump-administration-plans-2-8bn-sale-of-2000-pound-bombs-to-israel">have also vowed</a> to work against that transfer. In three years of genocide in Gaza, Israel has killed more <a href="https://imeu.org/resources/gaza/fact-sheet-three-years-of-israels-genocide-of-palestinians-in-gaza/506">than 1,700 health care workers</a> and has left zero hospitals fully functioning in the enclave. Israeli forces have also detained more than 400 health care workers from Gaza without charges or a trial in their torture camps. Israel has killed <a href="https://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/reported-impact-snapshot-gaza-strip-9-september-2026-1500">nearly 600 aid workers</a> since October 7, 2023, according to UN counts. “Over the past three years, people’s ability to access health care in Gaza has deteriorated dramatically, with medical facilities lying in ruins, hospitals increasingly running out of basic supplies, and patients unable to access essential medicines and treatments. Restrictions on essential supplies such as engine oil and spare parts are also crippling the infrastructure needed to keep hospitals, ambulances, and water systems running, with generators breaking down and water-trucking operations reduced,” <a href="https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/latest/three-years-israeli-forces-are-strangling-gaza">said</a> Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in a statement on Monday. “It will take generations to recover from the harm that has already been done over the past three years, and in the preceding decades, while the excruciating consequences of Israel’s ongoing genocide are still being felt every day,” <a href="https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/latest/three-years-israeli-forces-are-strangling-gaza">said</a> Amande Bazerolle, the head of MSF’s emergency response in Gaza. <hr> This <a href="https://truthout.org/articles/tlaib-democrats-call-for-israel-to-release-palestinian-doctors-from-detention/">article</a> was originally published by <a href="https://truthout.org">Truthout</a> and is licensed under <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/" rel="license">Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)</a>. Please maintain all links and credits in accordance with our <a href="https://truthout.org/republishing-policy">republishing guidelines</a>. Copy this HTML code to republish the article on your website Close Copy HTML This article is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) , and you are free to share and republish under the terms of the license. Sharon Zhang Sharon Zhang is a news writer at Truthout covering international affairs, politics, and labor. She has a master’s degree in environmental studies. She can be found on Twitter and Bluesky . Truthout

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