Palestinian doctor released from Ofer prison shows signs of abuse

Mazen al-Rantisi, aged 71 and widely called the “doctor of the poor” for offering free services, was released from Ofer prison on Sunday following almost four months of detention. He was seized during a June raid on his Ramallah residence and later charged for leading the Union of Health Work Committees, which supplies medical aid to many Palestinians. Al-Rantisi reported that prison officials withheld his regular medication for ten days and continued to deny a specific drug, while also subjecting him to physical abuse, as evidenced by a prominent red wound on his forehead in post-release images.

Other detained health professionals, such as Dr Ahmed Muhanna and Dr Hussam Abu Safiya, have described severe mistreatment and weight loss while in custody. According to Healthcare Workers Watch, around 90 Palestinian medical workers remain detained, many taken from hospitals or ambulances while on duty. International observers have condemned the practice as violating humanitarian law.