Israeli Health Ministry: 3 Released Hostages Suffer from Severe Malnutrition

The Israeli Health Ministry announced after initial medical examinations that the three hostages released from Hamas captivity in Gaza on Saturday morning, February 20, are suffering from 'severe malnutrition' and have lost 'significant weight' during their 491 days of captivity. According to the 'Israel Times', Dr. Hagar Mizrahi, a representative of the Health Ministry, stated at a press conference from Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv, where two of the released hostages are undergoing recovery, 'We are witnessing difficult scenes.' The three hostages, named 'Ohad Ben Ami', 56, 'Eli Sharabi', 52, and 'Or Levi', 34, were abducted by Hamas militants, a group supported by the Islamic Republic, from the Nova music festival. Mizrahi added that despite their severe physical condition, doctors were excited to see that they could walk on their own with their heads held high. Health staff are also attending to the families of the released hostages, as many of them have been caught up in efforts to free their loved ones for the past 16 months and have not had the opportunity to care for themselves. The head of the public health department of the Israeli Health Ministry stated that the released hostages and their families will receive a range of treatments designed for their physical and emotional recovery. In the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, which lasts 42 days and was brokered by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, a total of 33 hostages are expected to be released. According to the terms of the ceasefire and hostage exchange agreement, Hamas was to first release living civilian women and children, followed by female soldiers, elderly men, and the sick. These hostages were among 251 Israelis and foreign nationals who were abducted during an attack by approximately 3,000 Hamas militants supported by the Islamic Republic on October 6, 2023. In this attack, around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed. According to published reports, under the agreement, for each released civilian hostage, 30 Palestinian prisoners will be exchanged, and for each military hostage, 50 prisoners, most of whom are serving long sentences, will be exchanged. Hamas is recognized as a terrorist organization by many countries, including the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Canada.