As Israeli and Palestinian captives begin returning home under a newly brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, uncertainty remains over the fate of several high-profile Palestinian detainees — among them, Gaza physician Dr Hussam Abu Safia.

Abu Safia, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, was detained by Israeli forces in December 2024 and has remained in custody despite mounting calls for his release. His lawyer has reported that he was tortured while in Israeli detention.

Supporters view Abu Safia as a symbol of the enduring resilience of Gaza’s medical workers, many of whom have been killed or detained as Israel’s military campaign devastated the enclave’s healthcare system over the past two years.

It remains unclear whether Abu Safia is included in the ceasefire’s prisoner exchange, which covers both Israeli captives held by Hamas and Palestinians detained by Israel — many without charge or trial. As of Monday evening, the doctor had not been freed.

Over the weekend, CNN reported that Israel would not release Abu Safia, citing a Hamas source. However, Haaretz said on Monday that his name was among five additional detainees from Gaza added to the release list.

According to Amnesty International, Abu Safia has been held without charge under an Israeli security law since his arrest at Kamal Adwan Hospital, where he continued to serve as a pediatrician even after his son was killed in an Israeli air raid. The rights group said he was not allowed to meet his lawyer until February 11, 2025, and that during a July visit to Ofer military prison, his attorney reported he had been assaulted and severely beaten, and had lost significant weight.

Palestinian detainees and rights organizations have repeatedly alleged torture, sexual violence, and other abuses in Israeli prisons throughout the two-year war on Gaza. Many of those released this week have shown visible signs of mistreatment and malnutrition.

A recently freed Palestinian detainee told Al Jazeera that “Dr Hussam Abu Safia is being subjected to severe torture as we speak.”

Since the ceasefire’s signing, calls for his release have intensified. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) urged U.S. President Donald Trump to pressure Israel to uphold the agreement, stating:

“We also call on the President to demand that Israel release Dr Hussam Abu Safiya and all other kidnapped medical professionals.”

UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese also criticized the truce for failing to ensure the release of civilian captives, writing on X:

“There cannot be peace without justice, human rights, and dignity for all. Palestinian lives matter.”