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Israel is preventing Hussam Abu Safiya, the detained director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, from meeting with a lawyer, according to a by Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHR-I) on Monday.

The Israeli-based rights group stated that it "requested a lawyer to meet with Dr. Hossam Abu Safiya, who has not been seen publicly since his arrest during an Israeli forces raid late last month".

PHR-I said that the request was made to allow lawyer Nasser Odeh to assess Abu Safiya's condition and the circumstances of his detention.

According to the organisation, the Israeli military stated that Odeh, who regularly visits Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons, was barred from meeting Abu Safiya until 10 January.

Abu Safiya was abducted on 27 December along with medical staff working in the Kamal Adwan Hospital, as well as wounded patients and others present inside the building in��Beit Lahia, with Amnesty International accusing Israel of "genocidal intent".

Israeli forces deliberately set fire to the medical facility after bombing it for weeks,��with reports that some staff were burned alive,

Israel initially refused to admit to detaining Abu Safiya before it confirmed his detention at the notorious Sde Teiman facility, which is known for its mass abuse of Palestinians, who are held without trial and who have been subject to torture including rape.

Tel Aviv authorities claim Abu Safiya "was arrested on suspicion of involvement in terrorist activities", a charge for which they have yet to present any evidence, which is why PHR-I believe it was imperative for him to be allowed legal counsel.

The physician's arrest has led to global outrage among rights groups, official UN bodies and fellow health professionals.

"Since the arrest of hospital director Hossam Abu Safiya on December 27, no information has been provided about his safety or health condition,"��World Health Organisation Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement.

"We continue to call on Israel to release Abu Safiya," Ghebreyesus added, further highlighting that Kamal Adwan Hospital had been raided, burned, and rendered completely inoperative by Israeli forces.

Last week, hundreds of medical professionals took to social media using the hashtag #FreeDrHussamAbuSafiyeh to protest Israel's capture and detention of Abu Safiya, as well as calling for Israel to be held accountable for attacks on hospital facilities and medics.

On Sunday, a group of��pro-Palestinian��protestors gathered in Toronto to demand the release Abu Safiya.

The demonstration, which took place at Queen's Park outside the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, also protested��Israel's war on Gaza. The protesters carried banners reading "Health for Gaza, stop the genocide" and "Healthcare is not a crime."

They also demanded an arms embargo and the severing of diplomatic relations with Israel.

Similarly, on Monday, the called for a “massive protest” against Israel’s detention of Abu Safiya and the destruction of Gaza’s healthcare facilities.

The protest will be held outside the British Parliament on Monday at 18:00 GMT and will include speakers such as former UK Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn.