In a recent statement, an official from the Israeli Health Ministry revealed that the individuals recently freed from Hamas’ custody had been manipulated for propaganda purposes. The official, Dr. Hagar Mizrahi, who leads the General Medicine Division, disclosed that these individuals were medicated before their release, intended to project an image of contentment during their globally broadcasted liberation.
Dr. Mizrahi, addressing the Israeli Knesset Health Committee, explained that the captives were provided with vitamins and mood-enhancing drugs to present a falsely positive demeanor to the world’s media. The intent was to mask the true conditions of their captivity.
The official further accused Hamas of committing serious violations, including inadequate medical care and nutritional neglect of the hostages. Specific details were withheld to protect those still held captive.
Evidence has emerged indicating severe malnutrition among the hostages, with some experiencing substantial weight loss, as much as 33 pounds, during their detainment.
In a session focused on the Health Ministry’s management of the returned hostages, relatives of both freed and still-detained individuals were given a platform to share their harrowing experiences.
Yizhar Lifshitz, whose elderly mother was released while his father remains captive, urgently appealed to Israeli authorities for immediate action. He emphasized the worsening condition of the captives and urged significant budget allocations for their rescue and care.
Yarden, whose sister was abducted at a music festival, expressed her family’s agony over her sister’s ongoing ordeal, including witnessing the murder of a loved one.
Shir Siegal, daughter of a released captive, shared her inability to process her mother’s accounts of the brutal treatment in captivity, including physical abuse and medical neglect. She implored officials to act as her voice and her reasoning in these distressing times.
Esther Buchshtab, mother of a hostage, joined the chorus of pleas, emphasizing the urgency of bringing the captives back under any conditions, highlighting the inadequate healthcare and random treatments they receive.
