Dire health report for 24 living Israeli hostages in Gaza said to be in 'grave danger of dying at any time'

According to a medical report published by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum on Monday, the remaining hostages are in imminent danger of death due to severe malnutrition and untreated injuries. The report also outlined the severe mental stress caused by isolation, torture, and extreme conditions.

The report based its findings on the testimonies given by freed hostages, known medical conditions, and footage from propaganda videos.

Of the 59 hostages still held in captivity, less than half are thought to remain alive, but in critical danger. There are still 58 of the 251 kidnapped on Oct. 7 held in Gaza, along with the body of another soldier held since 2014.

Proof of life has been received for 20 hostages, but the following 24 are thought to still be alive: Elkana Bohbot, Matan Angrest, Edan Alexander, Avinatan Or, Yosef-Haim Ohana, Alon Ohel, Evyatar David, Guy Gilboa-Dalal, Bipin Joshi, Rom Braslavski, Ziv Berman, Gali Berman, Omri Miran, Eitan Mor, Segev Kalfon, Nimrod Cohen, Maxim Herkin, Eitan Horn, Matan Zangauker, Bar Kupershtein, David Cunio, Ariel Cunio, Tamir Nimrodi, Pinta Nattapong. 

According to Prof. Hagai Levine, chairman of the Israeli Association of Public Health Physicians and a leading member of the Hostages Families Forum, one-third of the hostages are suffering from untreated injuries, as well as illnesses and diseases.

“The hostages are held in cages, in tunnels, in the darkness, chained by their hands and legs,” he said. “They suffer from malnutrition and must beg for food, doing all kinds of humiliating things.” The doctor considered that they are in “grave danger of dying at any time,” adding that “any day can be their last day.”

While it was emphasized that the report did not present a complete picture, both the physical and mental state were taken into account. According to the Times of Israel, the report warned that some of the hostages had been kept in isolation for the majority of their time in captivity, 550 days at the time of publishing. 

The report lists details for each hostage depending on the consent of the families. All 24 are experiencing malnutrition, and five had health conditions prior to being taken captive. At least eight are known to be suffering from injuries, including some who have lost hearing and sight during their time in captivity. 

The report warned of the likelihood of severe psychological distress, digestive problems, prolonged dehydration and serious infections. Wounds have been left untreated, and no one has been visited by the Red Cross to date. According to reports of released hostages, medication that has been sent for the hostages never reached them.

Those remaining in captivity are all men, both soldiers and civilians, including an agriculture student from Nepal. The soldiers, and those mistakenly presumed to be soldiers, have received particularly harsh treatment including regular beating and torture. The report details the known abuses as, “strangulation, being tied up, being hung by the legs, burns and deliberate starvation.”.

Hostages were experiencing “severe shortages of food, water and medical care, leading to malnutrition, severe weakness and the deterioration of their health,” the forum said. They are also subject to both physical and mental torture according to the report, which cited “prolonged isolation, sleep deprivation and frequent beatings.”

The report describes how some have been chained up, “for weeks or months at a time,” and they are all being held in tunnels underground “without natural light and air.” 

“Additional evidence suggests that some of the hostages frequently suffer from vomiting and diarrhea, symptoms that indicate severe digestive problems and a risk of dehydration,” according to the report. “This distress is likely due to the complete lack of sanitation, poor nutrition and undrinkable water.”

The report says that all 24 are experiencing “sleep deprivation, threats and constant intimidation,” leading to an inevitable worsening of their mental states. Concern is expressed about “serious psychological disorders” among the hostages, “including anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.”

“The information collected paints a very worrying picture,” the Hostages Forum summarized. “The hostages are being held in inhumane conditions, suffering severe physical and mental abuse, and their health and mental states are rapidly deteriorating. Time is running out, and every additional moment in captivity puts their lives in terrible danger.”

"When examining the health of all the hostages together, a horrifying picture of life in hell is revealed," said Levine. "All of the hostages are subjected to inhumane physical and psychological torture and are at risk of death. Every one of them is a humanitarian case and must be rescued urgently."