Israeli forces arrest Palestinian ‘doctor of the poor’
Israeli forces on Sunday arrested a prominent 71-year-old Palestinian physician known as the “doctor of the poor” in a pre-dawn raid on his home in the occupied West Bank, prompting widespread condemnation.
Dr Mazen Al-Rantisi, a physician widely known for providing care to low-income Palestinians, was arrested before dawn at his home in the al-Tira neighbourhood of Ramallah.
He was later taken to the police station in the Israeli settlement of Ma’ale Adumim, where he is believed to be under interrogation by the Special Investigations Unit. Israeli authorities have not said why he was detained or where he is currently being held.
According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, the arrest is believed to be connected to Al-Rantisi’s position as chair of the Union of Health Work Committees, a Palestinian non-profit founded in 1985 that operates clinics serving thousands of patients each year, particularly in rural communities with limited access to healthcare.
The organisation was declared an “unlawful association” by the Israeli military in 2020 under emergency regulations dating back to the British Mandate for Palestine. Two years later, Israeli forces shut its headquarters in Al-Bireh. Despite those measures, the group remains legally registered with the Palestinian Authority’s interior ministry.
News of Al-Rantisi’s detention spread rapidly across the occupied West Bank, with an outpouring of support on social media. Former patients, activists and local leaders described him as a figure whose work reached far beyond the consulting room.
Many recalled that he frequently waived consultation fees, supplied medicines to families unable to afford them and distributed donated prescriptions to vulnerable patients. For years, they said, his clinic served not only as a medical practice but also as a place of refuge for some of the poorest members of Palestinian society.
The arrest prompted an online solidarity campaign under the hashtag #FreedomForDrMazenAlRantisi, with supporters demanding his immediate release and information about his whereabouts.
“The arrest of Dr Al-Rantisi is another alarming escalation in Israel’s crackdown on Palestinian civil society”, Naji Abbas, the director of the Prisoners and Detainees department at Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI) told the Guardian. “By detaining a respected physician and the head of a leading Palestinian health organisation, the Israeli authorities are further blurring the line between legitimate security measures and the criminalisation of essential civil and humanitarian work.”
“Dr Al-Rantisi’s clinic in Ramallah serves hundreds of patients”, PHRI added, “and his detention will inevitably disrupt access to medical care for those who depend on him. His arrest is not just about one doctor - it reflects a broader effort to undermine Palestinian civil institutions and intimidate those working to serve their communities under occupation.”
Contacted by the Guardian about the arrest of Al-Rantisi, the Israeli military referred questions about the arrest to the Israel Prison Service. The service referred questions about the arrest to the Israeli military.
Since 2020, Israeli soldiers and settlers have killed at least 1,100 Palestinian civilians in the occupied West Bank, at least a quarter of whom were children, UN data shows. No one has been charged over any of these deaths. According to the leading human rights organisation based in Israel, B’Tselem, as of March 2026, some 9,446 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons; 4,691 of them are under administrative detention, imprisoned without charge, trial, or the ability to defend themselves.
Fourteen other doctors from Gaza remain in Israeli detention without charge, amid allegations they have been subjected to harsh treatment.
Palestinian doctors have alleged that they were subjected to torture, beatings and sexual violence in Israeli detention.
Early in June, another prominent Palestinian doctor from Gaza, Dr Hussam Abu Safiya, who was detained by Israeli forces in Gaza in late 2024 and has been held for more than 500 days without formal charges, was transferred without explanation to solitary confinement in a maximum-security prison.
Read the full story at The Guardian ↗
On Sunday, Israeli forces arrested Dr Mazen Al-Rantisi, a 71-year-old Palestinian physician, during a pre-dawn raid at his home in Ramallah's al-Tira neighbourhood. Al-Rantisi is widely recognized for providing medical services to low-income Palestinians and serves as chair of the Union of Health Work Committees, a Palestinian healthcare organization founded in 1985. Israeli authorities have not publicly stated the reason for his detention or his current location, though he is believed to be undergoing interrogation by the Special Investigations Unit. The Union of Health Work Committees was declared unlawful by the Israeli military in 2020, though it remains registered with the Palestinian Authority. The arrest generated significant reaction across Palestinian social media and drew concern from human rights organizations, who note that Al-Rantisi's clinic serves hundreds of patients. Additional context: According to UN data, Israeli forces have killed at least 1,100 Palestinian civilians in the West Bank since 2020. As of March 2026, approximately 9,446 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons, including 4,691 under administrative detention without charge or trial. Palestinian doctors have made allegations of torture and harsh treatment in Israeli detention.
Read the full story at The Guardian ↗
Israeli forces on Sunday arrested a prominent 71-year-old Palestinian physician known as the “doctor of the poor” in a pre-dawn raid on his home in the occupied West Bank, prompting widespread condemnation.
Dr Mazen Al-Rantisi, a physician widely known for providing care to low-income Palestinians, was arrested before dawn at his home in the al-Tira neighbourhood of Ramallah.
He was later taken to the police station in the Israeli settlement of Ma’ale Adumim, where he is believed to be under interrogation by the Special Investigations Unit. Israeli authorities have not said why he was detained or where he is currently being held.
According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, the arrest is believed to be connected to Al-Rantisi’s position as chair of the Union of Health Work Committees, a Palestinian non-profit founded in 1985 that operates clinics serving thousands of patients each year, particularly in rural communities with limited access to healthcare.
The organisation was declared an “unlawful association” by the Israeli military in 2020 under emergency regulations dating back to the British Mandate for Palestine. Two years later, Israeli forces shut its headquarters in Al-Bireh. Despite those measures, the group remains legally registered with the Palestinian Authority’s interior ministry.
News of Al-Rantisi’s detention spread rapidly across the occupied West Bank, with an outpouring of support on social media. Former patients, activists and local leaders described him as a figure whose work reached far beyond the consulting room.
Many recalled that he frequently waived consultation fees, supplied medicines to families unable to afford them and distributed donated prescriptions to vulnerable patients. For years, they said, his clinic served not only as a medical practice but also as a place of refuge for some of the poorest members of Palestinian society.
The arrest prompted an online solidarity campaign under the hashtag #FreedomForDrMazenAlRantisi, with supporters demanding his immediate release and information about his whereabouts.
“The arrest of Dr Al-Rantisi is another alarming escalation in Israel’s crackdown on Palestinian civil society”, Naji Abbas, the director of the Prisoners and Detainees department at Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI) told the Guardian. “By detaining a respected physician and the head of a leading Palestinian health organisation, the Israeli authorities are further blurring the line between legitimate security measures and the criminalisation of essential civil and humanitarian work.”
“Dr Al-Rantisi’s clinic in Ramallah serves hundreds of patients”, PHRI added, “and his detention will inevitably disrupt access to medical care for those who depend on him. His arrest is not just about one doctor - it reflects a broader effort to undermine Palestinian civil institutions and intimidate those working to serve their communities under occupation.”
Contacted by the Guardian about the arrest of Al-Rantisi, the Israeli military referred questions about the arrest to the Israel Prison Service. The service referred questions about the arrest to the Israeli military.
Since 2020, Israeli soldiers and settlers have killed at least 1,100 Palestinian civilians in the occupied West Bank, at least a quarter of whom were children, UN data shows. No one has been charged over any of these deaths. According to the leading human rights organisation based in Israel, B’Tselem, as of March 2026, some 9,446 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons; 4,691 of them are under administrative detention, imprisoned without charge, trial, or the ability to defend themselves.
Fourteen other doctors from Gaza remain in Israeli detention without charge, amid allegations they have been subjected to harsh treatment.
Palestinian doctors have alleged that they were subjected to torture, beatings and sexual violence in Israeli detention.
Early in June, another prominent Palestinian doctor from Gaza, Dr Hussam Abu Safiya, who was detained by Israeli forces in Gaza in late 2024 and has been held for more than 500 days without formal charges, was transferred without explanation to solitary confinement in a maximum-security prison.
Read the full story at The Guardian ↗
Israeli forces arrested 71-year-old Palestinian physician Dr Mazen Al-Rantisi in a pre-dawn raid at his home in Ramallah's al-Tira neighbourhood on Sunday Al-Rantisi is chair of the Union of Health Work Committees, a Palestinian non-profit founded in 1985 that operates clinics serving thousands of patients annually, particularly in rural communities The Union of Health Work Committees was declared an unlawful association by the Israeli military in 2020 under emergency regulations; Israeli forces shut its headquarters in 2022 Israeli authorities have not publicly disclosed reasons for Al-Rantisi's arrest or his current whereabouts; he is believed to be under interrogation by the Special Investigations Unit Al-Rantisi is known for frequently waiving consultation fees, supplying medicines to families unable to afford them, and distributing donated prescriptions to vulnerable patients The arrest prompted an online solidarity campaign and widespread support across Palestinian social media The arrest of Dr Al-Rantisi is an alarming escalation in Israel's crackdown on Palestinian civil society By detaining a respected physician and the head of a leading Palestinian health organization, Israeli authorities are blurring the line between legitimate security measures and criminalization of essential civil and humanitarian work Al-Rantisi's detention will inevitably disrupt access to medical care for those who depend on him, reflecting a broader effort to undermine Palestinian civil institutions As of March 2026, approximately 9,446 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons, including 4,691 under administrative detention without charge, trial, or ability to defend themselves Since 2020, Israeli soldiers and settlers have killed at least 1,100 Palestinian civilians in the occupied West Bank, at least a quarter of whom were children; no one has been charged over any of these deaths Fourteen Palestinian doctors from Gaza remain in Israeli detention without charge, amid allegations of torture, beatings, and sexual violence
Read the full story at The Guardian ↗
- Israeli forces arrested 71-year-old Palestinian physician Dr Mazen Al-Rantisi in a pre-dawn raid on his home in Ramallah on Sunday
- Al-Rantisi, known for providing medical care to low-income Palestinians, chairs the Union of Health Work Committees, a Palestinian non-profit declared unlawful by Israeli military in 2020
- Israeli authorities have not publicly disclosed reasons for the arrest or his current whereabouts; he is believed to be under interrogation
- The arrest prompted widespread support on social media and criticism from human rights organizations, who say it disrupts healthcare access for vulnerable Palestinians
- At least 14 Palestinian doctors from Gaza remain in Israeli detention without charge, with allegations of torture and harsh treatment