Palestinian Doctor Detained by Israel for 7 Months Loses Relatives in Israeli Attacks
Dr. Muhammad Abu Salmiya, the director of Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza, who was detained by Israel for seven months, is now mourning the loss of his brother and nephews after their home was targeted by Israeli airstrikes.
Kokcha News Agency – Dr. Muhammad Abu Salmiya, the director of Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza, has suffered yet another tragedy as his brother and nephews were killed in an Israeli airstrike on their home in the Al-Shati refugee camp. The attack, carried out by the Israeli military, resulted in the deaths of five family members and left several others injured.
Dr. Abu Salmiya, who was previously detained by Israel for seven months without charge, was on duty at Al-Shifa Hospital when the attack occurred. He later had to face the harrowing sight of his brother and nephews’ lifeless bodies being brought to the hospital.
Munir al-Bursh, the Director-General of the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, confirmed the attack, stating, “The occupying Israeli forces bombed the house of Dr. Abu Salmiya’s brother. In the attack, his brother and children were killed. Dr. Abu Salmiya was on duty at Al-Shifa Hospital at the time.”
Dr. Abu Salmiya, who has been at the forefront of managing the overwhelmed Al-Shifa Hospital, was visibly shaken and unable to speak for some time after seeing the bodies of his loved ones.
This is not the first time Dr. Abu Salmiya has faced hardship at the hands of Israeli forces. In November 2023, he was detained by the Israeli military while transporting wounded patients from Al-Shifa Hospital to southern Gaza. He was held for seven months without charge and released on July 1, 2024. During his detention, he reported being subjected to severe torture and mistreatment.
Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza, which began on October 7, 2023, has resulted in the deaths of at least 65,208 Palestinians and injured 166,271 others. Since the resumption of attacks on March 18, 2024, after a brief ceasefire, an additional 12,653 Palestinians have been killed, and 54,230 have been wounded.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced plans to expand and make permanent the occupation of the Gaza Strip, further escalating the humanitarian crisis in the region.
