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One third of Israeli hostages in immediate danger of death

Others are facing ‘brutal sexual assault, mutilation, torture, and enforced starvation’, the report by the hostages forum said.

By Adina Katz, World Israel News

A grim report released Tuesday reveals that at least a third of the 136 hostages still held by Hamas are suffering from chronic illnesses, placing them in immediate danger of death, while others are facing “brutal sexual assault, mutilation, torture, and enforced starvation”.

The report by the Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum, which coincided with the three month milestone since their capture, was released alongside a letter signed by eight Nobel Prize laureates calling on the UN Secretary General, President of the Red Cross, and Director of the World Health Organization to call for their released and facilitate the transfer of medical aid to them. The laureates also invited the three to visit Israel and the communities near Gaza to see the horrors firsthand and to meet with families of the hostages and survivors of captivity who were released.

“The testimonies from those who have been released from captivity reveal severe cases of both mental and physical abuse. This includes brutal sexual assault, which also affects men, mutilation, torture, enforced starvation and dehydration,” and highlights the lack of medical care and denial of access to Red Cross representatives. The deteriorating health of these hostages, both men and women, is a growing concern with each passing day,” the report said.

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The report specifies various chronic illnesses among the hostages, such as diabetes, osteoporosis, anemia, asthma, cancer, and heart diseases. 35-year-old Dolev Yehud struggles with kidney disease and thyroid issues, while 53-year-old Youssef Alziadna battles diabetes and hypertension, 22-year-old Omer Wenkert suffers from ulcerative colitis, and 59-year-old Michel Nisenbaum, who has Crohn’s disease, needs consistent treatment to avoid life-threatening complications.

The report also stresses the impact of poor nutrition and hygiene on the hostages, especially those with specific medical and dietary needs. Special attention is given to the plight of young women and children, with the report mentioning Kfir and Ariel Bibas, an infant and toddler, who require specific nutrition.

Particularly concerning are the young women hostages, who face the risk of sexual violence with long-term physical and mental health implications. The report details the potential physical injuries from rape, including the risk of life-threatening bleeding and increased susceptibility to sexually transmitted infections, as well as the psychological trauma and the possibility of unwanted pregnancies. In a video released by Hamas, four young women hostages are seen lined up against the wall with their hands tied behind them and displayed severe signs of trauma, with some of them caked in blood.

“All the hostages face immediate mortal danger. Some of the hostages will not survive 100 days in captivity without proper medical care, due to the conditions of captivity and neglect of their health. The hostages were abandoned on October 7th. As a nation that values life, we must not abandon hostages in the field. We must rescue them, now,” Prof. Hagai Levine, head of the forum’s medical team, said.

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In their appeal, the Nobel laureates expressed “deep concern about the hostages held in Gaza. We find ourselves compelled to speak out against the backdrop of innocent lives being held captive, families being torn asunder, and communities grappling with the harsh realities of war. We insist on speaking the voice of reason, and call you, as leaders, to take actions to promote the release of all hostages as an essential step toward truce and prevention of further bloodshed.”

A social worker who treated released female captives discussed the conditions they suffered and what they reported witnessing among other hostages, including having their limbs amputated, suffering sexually assault by gunpoint and being left in isolation for weeks on end.