Israel prepares for hostages’ return with scant knowledge of their condition

 

Dr. Hagar Mizrahi of Israel's Ministry of Health says hospitals are ready to deal with a broad spectrum of medical conditions when hostages held in the Gaza Strip are released. (AP Video by Ami Bentov / Jan. 17, 2025)

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel is preparing for the return of the hostages from Gaza with the expectation that many are likely to have severe, life-threatening complications after more than a year in captivity in the Gaza Strip.

While it’s impossible to know the exact conditions in which hostages have been held, the Health Ministry and the Hostages Family Forum, which represents families of the hostages, are preparing for several different scenarios based on information gathered from hostages previously released or rescued.

Hamas militants abducted about 250 people during a cross-border attack on Oct. 7, 2023, that also left 1,200 people dead. About 100 hostages are still being held, though Israel believes a third of them are no longer alive.

The war that followed the attack has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials, who do not distinguish between civilians and militants but say women and children make up more than half of those killed.

Hagai Levine, who heads the health team at the Hostages Families Forum, said he expects the hostages to return with cardiovascular and respiratory issues due to lack of ventilation in the tunnels. Among multiple other afflictions Levine expects are vitamin deficiencies, starvation, dramatic weight loss, vision problems due to a lack of sunlight, broken bones, cognitive impairment and mental health trauma.

https://www.thestar.com/news/world/middle-east/israel-prepares-for-hostages-return-with-scant-knowledge-of-their-condition/article_22582f2a-f8fb-5aa7-b197-7ff52b3a98cf.html