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Adnan al-Bursh

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Adnan Al-Bursh
Born1974
Jabalia, Gaza Strip
Diedc. (aged 50)
NationalityPalestinian
OccupationOrthopedic surgeon

Adnan Al-Bursh (1974 – c. 19 April 2024) was a Palestinian orthopedic surgeon and the head of orthopedics at the Gaza Strip's largest medical facility, Al-Shifa Hospital. He died in the Israeli Ofer Prison after over four months of detention.[1][2][3][4][5]

The 50-year-old doctor was arrested by Israeli forces in December 2023 while temporarily working at Al-Awda Hospital in northern Gaza.[2][3][4][5] According to Israeli security sources, he was suspected of involvement in terrorism.[6] Palestinian authorities and advocacy groups have attributed his death to torture or mistreatment in custody, with the OHCHR confirming his body showed signs of torture.[7] His death has been highlighted as part of the "systematic targeting process against physicians and the health care system in Gaza."[1][3][5]

Early life and career[edit]

Adnan Al-Bursh was born in 1974 in Jabalia, the Israeli-occupied Gaza Strip, and received his early education there before traveling to Romania to study medicine.[8][9]

In his career, he was a prominent Palestinian orthopedic surgeon who served as the head of orthopedics at Al-Shifa Hospital, Gaza's largest medical facility.[3][8][9]

Al-Bursh was married and had five children. He served as an adviser to the Palestine national football team.[2]

Israel-Hamas war[edit]

In November 2023, during the Israeli invasion of Gaza, Al-Bursh was stranded in the besieged Al-Shifa Hospital for 10 days with his nephew. Israeli forces later asked them to move south, but Al-Bursh refused to comply and instead moved north to assist at the Indonesia Hospital. Al-Bursh's wife and six children also refused to move south and instead took shelter in one of the UNRWA schools in the northern Gaza Strip.[10]

Al-Bursh was later injured while at the Indonesian Hospital while he was in the operating room when Israeli forces also attacked that facility. Following a truce, he relocated again to Al-Awda Hospital, also in northern Gaza.[10]

Arrest and death[edit]

The 50-year-old doctor was arrested by Israeli forces in December 2023 alongside 10 other workers while temporarily working at Al-Awda Hospital in northern Gaza.[2][3][4][5] According to Israeli security sources, Al-Bursh was detained for national-security reasons; IDF sources reported that he was suspected of terrorism.[11][6]

Four months later, on 19 April 2024, the Israeli prison service confirmed Al-Bursh's death in custody at Ofer Prison, without disclosing the cause of his death.[1][2][4] Palestinian authorities and advocacy groups have attributed his death to torture or mistreatment in custody.[5] Released prisoners told Al-Bursh's family that he was being subjected to torture,[10] and a UN statement on his death confirmed his dead body showed signs of torture.[7] His body was kept in Israeli custody, and the fate of the other detained medical workers remains uncertain.[5]

In May 2024, the family of Al-Bursh instructed a lawyer in The Hague to investigate his death and help facilitate the return of his body.[10]

On May 15, Al-Bursh's wife and Physicians for Human Rights–Israel submitted a request for an investigation and autopsy to the Jerusalem Magistrate Court.[12] Days later, Israel agreed to perform an autopsy, with a doctor representing the family present.[13]

Reactions[edit]

The Prisoners' Affairs Authority and the Palestinian Prisoners Club labelled Al-Bursh's death an "assassination" and a part of the "systematic targeting process against physicians and the health care system in Gaza."[1][3][5][10] The Palestinian Ministry of Health called for an immediate investigation.[10]

Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur for human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, expressed her extreme alarm at the news of Al-Bursh's death and called for better protections.[10] Tlaleng Mofokeng, United Nations' Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health, described herself as "horrified" by his death, lamenting that Al-Bursh "died for trying to protect the rights to life and health of his patients", and called for an international investigation on the matter.[7]

His death was highlighted as a further example of the ongoing challenges and risks faced by healthcare workers in Gaza, with hundreds killed, injured or arrested.[3][5] The Ministry of Health stated that 492 doctors had been killed by Israel in the conflict.[10] The international community and human rights organizations have repeatedly called for an end to attacks on medical personnel and the protection of Palestinians under Israeli occupation.[5]

Al-Bursh's nephew, Mohammad Al-Bursh, described him as a "cheerful" and "loved" figure who dedicated his life to his profession, often working nonstop during the height of the conflict in Gaza.[2] Colleagues praised him as a "rare individual" and the "safety valve" for orthopedic departments across Gaza's hospitals, often working tirelessly even during the height of conflicts in the region.[3][8]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d "Palestinian Doctor Dies in Israeli Prison". BBC. 3 May 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Khadder, Kareem; Salman, Abeer; Saifi, Zeena; Magramo, Kathleen (3 May 2024). "Leading Gaza Surgeon Adnan Al-Bursh Dies in Israeli Prison". CNN. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Rahaman Sarkar, Alisha (4 May 2024). "'Heroic' Palestinian Surgeon Dies in Israeli Prison After Months in Detention". The Independent. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d "IDF Confirms Senior Gazan Doctor Died in Israeli Prison". The Times of Israel. 3 May 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Doctor From Gaza's al-Shifa Hospital Dies in Israeli Prison". Al Jazeera English. 3 May 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  6. ^ a b Khoury, Jack; Peleg, Bar (2024-05-12). "A senior Gazan doctor died during Israeli detention. Officials refuse to explain how". Haaretz. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
  7. ^ a b c "UN expert horrified by death of Gazan orthopedic surgeon in Israeli detention". Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. 16 May 2024. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  8. ^ a b c Osman, Nadda (3 May 2024). "Renowned Gaza Doctor Adnan Al-Bursh Tortured, Killed in Israeli Detention". The New Arab. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  9. ^ a b "Prominent Gaza Surgeon Adnan Al-Bursh Dies in Israeli Prison". Al-Ahram. 3 May 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h Mohanna, Nagham (4 May 2024). "Family of Senior Gaza Doctor Seek Hague Investigation Into His Prison Death". thenationalnews.com. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  11. ^ Al-Mughrabi, Nidal; Sawafta, Ali; Al-Mughrabi, Nidal (2024-05-03). "Prominent Gaza doctor dies in Israeli prison". Reuters. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
  12. ^ Khoury, Jack; Peleg, Bar (2024-05-16). "Family of Gazan doctor who died in Israeli custody demands an investigation". Haaretz. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
  13. ^ Khoury, Jack; Peleg, Bar (2024-05-23). "Israel agrees to perform autopsy on Gazan doctor who died in Israeli custody". Haaretz. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
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