“Israel doesn’t just broadcast to the world ‘we have doctors that are held without any sort of charges for the past two years’; they’re not going to give that to the public on a silver platter. People need to inquire.”

Join PHRI’s Maha Loulou and Lee Caspi for a discussion about our campaign demanding the release of 14 doctors from Gaza who have been held by Israel, without charge and subject to grave torture and rights violations, for periods ranging from 1.5 to 2.5 years. We share some of their individual stories and what is happening behind bars, away from the public eye, to a group of highly skilled medical professionals who are desperately needed back home.

*For more background, listen to our previous episode on the systemic torture of medical personnel from Gaza in Israeli custody: https://rss.com/podcasts/diagnosingthebarriers/2187997

Or read PHRI’s report on the subject: https://www.phr.org.il/en/torture-of-medical-workers/

**This episode was recorded on June 1st, a mere two days before PHRI received a firsthand report from Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya's lawyer about his grave condition and the imminent threat to his life. While we work around the clock to try to save Dr. Abu Safiya and bring greater visibility to his case, we are continuing our efforts to release all 14 Gaza doctors still held in Israeli detention.

With no access to a functioning medical system, at least 18,500 patients from Gaza wait for medical evacuation by the World Health Organization. But, where to? While Israel argues the answer is third countries, Physicians for Human Rights Israel is pushing for evacuation to the Palestinian hospitals in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. This episode discusses the current healthcare situation in Gaza and the urgent need to reopen the medical evacuation corridor to the West Bank. Join PHRI’s Keren Shavit and Lee Caspi for a sobering discussion about the urgency of the situation – every delay risks thousands of lives and generates untold human suffering.

* In this episode, the term “antibiotic resistance” is used to refer to antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which encompasses resistance to antibiotics and other antimicrobial treatments.

** For background on the destruction of Gaza’s healthcare system and the cascading effect described in the episode, see PHRI’s report “Destruction of Conditions of Life: A Health Analysis of the Gaza Genocide” - https://www.phr.org.il/en/genocide-in-gaza-eng/?pr=20812

Medical systems are meant to protect life.

They rely on visibility: documentation, communication, accountability.

But what happens when those same systems fail to interrupt harm?

In this episode, we dive into two recent publications by Physicians for Human Rights Israel — one documenting deaths and disappearances in detention, and the other exposing the erosion of medical ethics inside hospitals.

Together, they raise a difficult question:

When harm is both produced and obscured — who is left to witness?