The Israeli army has detained Muhammad Abu Salmiya, the director of al-Shifa Hospital, the largest medical facility in the Gaza Strip, as reported by a doctor and various media outlets. Khalid Abu Samra, a department chief at the hospital, confirmed the arrest of Abu Salmiya along with several other “senior doctors” on Thursday, according to statements made to the AFP news agency.
The arrest was also reported by the Israeli Broadcasting Authority, and was confirmed in a post on the social media platform X by Salmiya’s cousin, Adham Abu Selmiya. Israeli army has detained
Gaza’s ministry of health said it wants an explanation from the World Health Organization, as medics were travelling in a WHO convoy with patients when they were stopped and detained by Israeli forces.
Ashraf al-Qudra, a spokesperson for the health ministry, expressed concern over the lack of communication from the World Health Organization (WHO) regarding the situation, including details such as the numbers and identities of those detained. Al-Qudra emphasized the potential risks, stating, “The inability to contact al-Shifa means we don’t know who has been arrested … There’s a chance some of those detainees will be killed. We know the occupation forces are capable of that.”
In response to the uncertainty, the health ministry has taken a stance by halting coordination with the WHO concerning evacuations until a comprehensive report is provided to clarify the circumstances surrounding the arrests.