The Disappearance of Dr. Abu Safiya

Overview

For more than two decades, Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya served as a pediatrician in northern Gaza, rising to lead Kamal Adwan Hospital. Though he had many chances to leave, he chose to stay with his patients even as Israeli attacks escalated. With each passing month, the toll deepened. His son was killed, his hospital repeatedly struck, and his life threatened. Still, he remained at Kamal Adwan. His resilience was captured in a 10-second video: a lone pediatrician in a white coat walking through rubble toward Israeli forces. To the world, it symbolized defiance. To his family and colleagues, it reflected who he always was. Through firsthand testimony, archival footage, and on-the-ground reporting, Fault Lines investigates the assault on Kamal Adwan Hospital, the raid that led to Dr. Abu Safiya’s unlawful detention, and the broader targeting of Gaza’s healthcare system.