Systematic Abuse: The detention and torture of Gaza’s healthcare workers

In a harrowing testimony, Dr. Khaled Alserr described the relentless abuse he and his colleagues endured at the hands of Israeli forces. The 33-year-old surgeon, detained while caring for patients in Gaza’s Nasser Hospital, recounted experiences of humiliation, physical assault, and psychological torment. His account, along with those of other medical professionals, forms part of a broader pattern of targeted repression against Palestinian healthcare workers.

The Targeting of Medical Professionals

Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHRI) recently released a report detailing the arbitrary detention and mistreatment of healthcare workers in Gaza. According to the organization, over 250 Palestinian doctors, nurses, paramedics, and other medical staff have been detained by Israeli forces since the escalation of the conflict. Of those, more than 150 remain in custody without charge.

Dr. Alserr’s ordeal began in March last year when Israeli forces stormed Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. He and his colleagues, who had stayed behind to care for their patients despite ongoing military operations, were forcibly removed. “They made us strip naked in public,” he recalled, “then allowed us to wear only our underwear before binding our wrists with plastic ties.”

He described undergoing multiple interrogations, two conducted by Israeli soldiers and another by members of the Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security service. These sessions focused not on his actions but on extracting intelligence about Hamas, tunnels, and Israeli captives. The interrogators sought to exploit his medical role, questioning whether he had treated any fighters. This practice, rights groups assert, violates the Geneva Conventions, which protect healthcare workers in conflict zones.

Torture and Psychological Abuse

Many of the detained healthcare workers have shared similar experiences of dehumanization. Some, like a dentist identified as Dr. KJ, were subjected to physical threats. “We will cut off your fingers because you are a dentist,” he was told. Others, such as a senior surgeon known as Dr. MT, reported being attacked by military dogs while soldiers laughed. “They made us bark like dogs,” he said.

Sexual abuse and psychological torment were also common. Detainees were often forced into stress positions for hours, stripped of their clothing, and threatened with violence against their families. Some were coerced into participating in degrading “games” under threat of further beatings.

One of the most chilling accounts came from Dr. Alserr himself. Recalling a night in late March, he described how he and two teenagers, both around 16 or 17 years old, were bound tightly and loaded into a military vehicle. As they were driven into the hills, soldiers continued to beat and mock them.

“At around 4 a.m., I heard one of them say in Arabic, ‘These three are to be hanged,’” he recounted. His ribs were already broken from previous beatings, and by that point, he had lost the will to resist. “Even when they said I would be hanged, I didn’t care. I just wanted it to end.”

Dr. Alserr ultimately survived but remained in Israeli custody for over six months, much of that time spent in isolation. He was eventually released in late September and reunited with his parents, for whom he is the primary caregiver.

Legal Violations and International Condemnation

Human rights organizations have strongly condemned Israel’s treatment of Palestinian healthcare workers. Under international humanitarian law, medical professionals are considered a protected category and should not be targeted, detained, or pressured for intelligence.

“This is unlawful on multiple levels,” said Najji Abbas from PHRI. “First, these arrests appear to be baseless fishing expeditions, with no credible charges. Second, healthcare workers are explicitly protected under the Geneva Conventions.”

Despite these legal protections, reports of abuse persist. The systematic mistreatment of medical personnel appears to be part of an intentional effort to break their spirits and extract information. “The goal is to strip Palestinian men, and doctors, in particular, of their dignity,” Abbas explained. “This kind of torture leaves lasting scars, both physical and psychological.”

The recent wave of arrests and abuse is not an isolated phenomenon. Similar cases have been reported for years. In December, Israeli forces detained Dr. Hussam Abu Safia, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital. His case mirrors that of Dr. Adnan al-Bursh, a 49-year-old surgeon who, according to UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, was likely raped and killed in Israeli custody.

In August last year, Human Rights Watch (HRW) published a report detailing widespread abuse of Gaza’s healthcare workers. The report called for an investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC), citing multiple instances of arbitrary detention, physical and sexual abuse, and other violations.

HRW documented cases in which medical professionals were interrogated while still in their surgical scrubs. “Their status as healthcare workers didn’t spare them,” said Milena Ansari, a lawyer involved in the HRW report. “Surgeons, nurses, and paramedics were all subjected to the same degrading treatment.”

The Collapse of Gaza’s Healthcare System

The ongoing detention and mistreatment of medical professionals is occurring against the backdrop of a collapsing healthcare system. The blockade and continuous military assaults have left hospitals struggling to function, with medical supplies running dangerously low.

A report by the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) highlighted the devastating impact of these actions, noting that the widespread detention of medical staff has significantly worsened the humanitarian crisis. With thousands of injured Palestinians in urgent need of care, the removal of experienced doctors and nurses has only deepened the suffering.

Even after his release, Dr. Alserr carries the trauma of his experience. His physical injuries may heal, but the psychological wounds remain.

“I hurt deeply,” he admitted, pausing a call to attend to a crisis in his ward. “I know I will never fully recover. I just try to hide it with work.”

His story is just one among many. As long as healthcare workers continue to be targeted, the consequences will ripple far beyond the individuals affected, deepening the humanitarian catastrophe and further eroding Gaza’s already devastated healthcare infrastructure.