Family says critically ill freed hostage was ‘betrayed’ by the Red Cross

According to her children, Elma, who is in critical condition, received no medication or medical care during her 51 day captivity in Gaza.

By World Israel News Staff

The children of Elma Avraham, the 84-year-old freed hostage who is now in critical condition, say that the Red Cross, which was supposed to have delivered medicine to captives, “abandoned” their mother.

Tal Amano, Elma Avraham’s daughter, described her mother before her capture by Hamas from her home in Nahal Oz, as a “happy and optimistic” woman who lived independently, but who also relied on crucial medication.

According to her children, Elma received no medication or medical care during her 51-day captivity in Gaza.

As a result of this medical neglect, Avraham had to be flown by helicopter from Gaza to the Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba and is fighting for her life in critical condition.

Amano blames her mother’s condition on severe neglect during her captivity, “My mother didn’t have to return like this. It was neglect during her entire period there. She didn’t receive her lifesaving medications.”

Regarding the Red Cross, Amano said, “They abandoned my mother from a health perspective…She was abandoned twice, once on October 7 and a second time by all the organizations that should have saved her and prevented her condition.”

Elma Avraham’s son, Uri Rawitz, gathered his mother’s medications and tried to take them to the Red Cross so they could be administered to his mother.

According to Amano’s account, the Red Cross workers said, “No, we can’t do anything.”

“We need to yell at the Red Cross,” she said. “Why are they there if they don’t do anything?”

According to the Geneva Convention, the role of the Red Cross in a war zone is to visit the hostages, deliver medical supplies, and bring updates to families.

However, the International Committee of the Red Cross has emphasized that they can’t help hostages if they are prevented from doing so.

The ICRC has said it relies on the cooperation of the warring parties and the availability of civilians to do its work.

The Red Cross has also said it doesn’t know where the hostages are located unless Hamas tells them.