February 14, 2026 — Women Journalists Without Chains has strongly condemned the death of Palestinian paramedic Hatem Ismail Rayan while in Israeli detention, describing the incident as part of a pattern of grave and systematic violations against Palestinian detainees and healthcare workers amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

The organization stated that Rayan’s death represents a shocking example of what it characterized as increasingly lethal detention practices. Palestinian prisoner advocacy groups confirmed that Israeli authorities notified them that the 59-year-old paramedic died while held inside Negev (Ketziot) Prison, where he had remained in custody for more than a year.

Israeli forces arrested Rayan on December 27, 2024, during a raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital. The operation took place during a prolonged military siege that involved the detention of numerous medical workers and civilians, including Rayan’s injured son. Women Journalists Without Chains emphasized that arresting medical personnel while they perform humanitarian duties constitutes a flagrant violation of international legal protections afforded to healthcare workers in conflict zones.

The organization warned that Rayan’s death reflects a broader and deeply alarming pattern of abuse inside Israeli detention facilities, where nearly 10,000 Palestinians remain held under conditions described by survivors and legal advocates as inhumane and degrading. Testimonies collected by the organization indicate widespread allegations of torture, starvation, denial of medical treatment, and prolonged isolation designed to inflict severe physical and psychological harm.

Systematic Assault on Gaza’s Healthcare Infrastructure
Women Journalists Without Chains condemned what it described as a sustained campaign targeting Gaza’s healthcare system. According to data from Gaza’s Ministry of Health, Israeli military operations since October 2023 have killed more than 72,000 Palestinians whose bodies reached hospitals, while at least 171,000 individuals have sustained injuries. The organization noted that women and children constitute the majority of victims.

The organization further documented the killing of approximately 1,701 healthcare workers, including hundreds of physicians and rare-specialty medical experts. Reports indicate that at least 788 attacks targeted medical facilities, destroying healthcare centers, crippling ambulance services, and forcing the closure of most hospitals across Gaza. The organization also condemned the continued detention of at least 362 Palestinian health workers, describing it as part of a deliberate policy to dismantle Gaza’s already collapsing medical infrastructure.

Women Journalists Without Chains expressed particular alarm over the detention of pediatrician Dr. Hossam Abu Safiya, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, who was arrested during the same raid that led to Rayan’s detention. Legal testimony reviewed by the organization indicates that Abu Safiya has reportedly endured severe physical abuse, medical neglect, and prolonged underground confinement without formal charges.

The organization also condemned the detention of Dr. Marwan Al-Hams, director of field hospitals and spokesperson for Gaza’s Ministry of Health, who was arrested while conducting a media interview in Khan Younis following an attack on an ambulance that killed a journalist and wounded several civilians.

Deaths, Enforced Disappearances, and Withholding of Human Remains
Women Journalists Without Chains reported that at least 100 Palestinian detainees have died inside Israeli prisons since the outbreak of the war, while Israeli authorities have confirmed the identities of 88 victims. The organization stated that hundreds of detainees remain forcibly disappeared, with Israeli authorities refusing to disclose their fate or whereabouts.

Following ceasefire arrangements linked to policies advanced during the administration of Donald Trump, Gaza’s Ministry of Health reported receiving approximately 400 bodies whose remains had been withheld during hostilities. The organization cited forensic examinations documenting evidence of restraints, gunshot wounds, and severe torture on multiple bodies.

On February 4, Israeli authorities transferred dozens of bodies and containers holding human remains through the International Committee of the Red Cross. Additional unidentified remains were later buried in mass graves in Deir al Balah, where families were unable to identify victims due to mutilation and decomposition.

Legal Accountability and International Responsibility
Women Journalists Without Chains asserted that the documented practices—including torture, enforced disappearance, denial of medical care, and detention without due process—constitute grave breaches of international humanitarian and human rights law. The organization stated that such acts may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity prosecutable before the International Criminal Court.

The organization emphasized that international humanitarian law provides absolute protections for medical personnel, patients, and healthcare infrastructure during armed conflict. It further condemned the withholding and desecration of human remains as serious violations of human dignity and families’ right to know the fate of their relatives.

Urgent Call for International Intervention
Women Journalists Without Chains called on the United Nations and international accountability mechanisms to launch immediate, independent investigations into deaths occurring inside Israeli detention facilities and the systematic targeting of Palestinian detainees and healthcare workers. The organization demanded international monitoring of detention conditions and urgent guarantees ensuring detainees receive legal representation, medical care, and communication with their families.

The organization further demanded the unconditional return of all withheld Palestinian remains and independent forensic examinations to preserve evidence and uphold victims’ dignity.

Women Journalists Without Chains warned that the continued killing, torture, and enforced disappearance of detainees and medical personnel represents a dangerous escalation that threatens the foundations of international humanitarian protections and deepens the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.