Human Rights Observatory Condemns Arrests, Alleged Abuse of Palestinian Healthcare Workers
Human Rights Observatory Condemns Arrests, Alleged Abuse of Palestinian Healthcare Workers
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The International Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders has condemned the continued targeting and detention of Palestinian medical personnel by Israeli authorities, calling for the immediate and unconditional release of all detained healthcare workers.
More details in the following report:
The Observatory, which includes the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), said the arrests form part of what it describes as a systematic policy targeting human rights defenders and obstructing medical workers from carrying out their professional and humanitarian duties. It reported allegations of arbitrary detention without trial, torture, ill-treatment and denial of necessary medical care.
Citing figures from Health Workers Watch, the Observatory said 446 Palestinian healthcare workers had been arrested or reported missing since October 2023. As of April 17, 2026, 83 remained in Israeli detention, including 75 from Gaza. It also reported that six healthcare workers had died. Alleged abuses include solitary confinement, electric shocks, harsh detention conditions and the withholding of medication and treatment from detainees with chronic illnesses.
The Observatory warned that targeting medical personnel has serious humanitarian consequences, particularly in Gaza, where the healthcare system is struggling amid the war, damage to medical facilities and shortages of resources.
It said international humanitarian law requires Israel, as an occupying power, to protect medical personnel and ensure the continuity of healthcare services. The Observatory called on governments and international humanitarian and human rights organizations to press for an end to arbitrary arrests, safeguard detainees and ensure accountability for alleged violations.
