“We stand here today for every doctor, nurse, patient, and child who has suffered under this brutal occupation”
A speech written for Aberdeen demo, January 4th 2025, about Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya and the on-going Israeli attacks on Gaza’s hospitals
Today, we gather not just in protest but in shared humanity and moral outrage at the ongoing atrocities being inflicted upon the Palestinian people. Our focus today is also on a devastating act of injustice that cannot be ignored: the targeted attack on Kamal Adwan Hospital and the abduction of its director, Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya.
Dr. Hussam is not just a doctor; he is a symbol of unwavering dedication. Born in Jabalia in 1973, his family carries the painful legacy of displacement from Hamama town in 1948. He rose to become a pediatric consultant accredited by the Palestinian Board, dedicating his life to the health and well-being of children. As the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, Dr. Hussam worked tirelessly even as the world around him crumbled.
Imagine this: just months ago, his son was brutally killed in an Israeli airstrike. Despite his immense grief, Dr. Hussam continued his work, saving lives amidst bombings and blockades. In November, he was gravely injured when an Israeli missile targeted the hospital. And now, he has been abducted, stripped of his freedom, and subjected to unimaginable cruelty at Sde Teiman detention center.
This is not an isolated incident. A recent UN report exposes a systematic campaign of violence against healthcare facilities in Gaza. Between October 2023 and June 2024, there were 136 strikes on 27 hospitals. Hundreds of medical professionals were killed, and thousands of injured Palestinians were left without care. The destruction of Kamal Adwan Hospital is part of this horrifying pattern—a deliberate attack on the very institutions meant to preserve life.
International law is clear: hospitals, medical workers, and patients are protected under humanitarian law. To target them is not just an affront to decency—it is a war crime. Yet, Israel has repeatedly violated these laws with impunity, claiming baselessly that hospitals were used for military purposes. These excuses crumble under scrutiny, leaving us with the horrifying truth: the intentional destruction of Gaza’s healthcare system is part of a broader strategy to render the region uninhabitable.
Today, we call for the immediate release of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya. His family’s plea echoes in our hearts: "We appeal to the international community, to organisations like WHO and MedGlobal, and to foreign governments, including Kazakhstan, to act now to save his life."
To those in power, we say: Your silence makes you complicit. To the global community, we ask: How many more doctors must be abducted? How many more hospitals must burn?
Dr. Ghassan Abu Sitta, president of Glasgow University, aptly described this horror: "Israel is wiping out a generation of health professionals in Gaza, not just to increase the death toll, but to ensure that Gaza remains broken, uninhabitable, and voiceless."
But Gaza is not voiceless. We are its voice. We stand here today for every doctor, nurse, patient, and child who has suffered under this brutal occupation. We stand for the dignity of human life and for justice.
To Dr. Hussam, his family, and the people of Gaza: We will not forget. We will not be silent. We will continue to march, speak, and demand justice until these atrocities end.
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