The abuse accounts of Israeli hostages increase alarms for the remaining captives

Tied. Famished. Wounded. Tortured These are the conditions that some hostages still face in Gaza, according to the information, their families said they had received from the Israeli military and security officials to which Hamas publish three captives on Saturday as part of a high fire agreement.

The Demacrada of three hostages launched in a ceremony in Gaza organized by Hamas last weekend: Eli Sharabi, 52; Or Levy, 34; And Ohad Ben-Ami, 56, and the details of their captivity have relatives of the remaining captives who smile on the urgent need for the continuation of the fire cessation agreement. The urgency occurs when the militant group said Monday to postpone the next hostages, scheduled for Saturday, citing rapes of high Israeli fire.

Before being delivered to Red Cross officials in exchange for 183 Palestinian prisoners on Saturday, fragile and painfully thin hostages were parade on stage before a crowd in the city of Deir Al-Balah, Gaza, each with a certificate of release issued by Hamas “”, and made to recite written words, even thanks to the militants who had kept them for 16 months.

A doctor in charge of supervising the treatment of two of the Israeli hostages released later said they were in poor condition. The third was in a “severe nutritional status” According to an official In the hospital where he was being treated.

Hamas has said that he treats his benevolently captives.

Under the early stages of the Alto El Fuego Agreement, the Armed Palestinian Group agreed to release 25 live hostages and the bodies of eight that were killed, in exchange for some 1,500 Palestinian prisoners. Until now, approximately half of those exchanges have been carried out.

Hamas denounced on Saturday “the brutal treatment of our prisoners” by Israeli officials. “This includes ongoing assaults, torture and contempt for age or severe health conditions suffered by many prisoners,” he said in a statement, highlighting what he said was the difference in the treatment between hostages and prisoners.

Idit Ohel, whose son Alon Ohel turned 24 on Monday and was spending his second birthday in captivity in Gaza, told journalists at a news conference that he had learned from military sources who had spoken with the most recently released hostages than his son I was receiving very small food and without medical attention for multiple injuries, including an eye injury that has left it partially blinded.

Mr. Ohel, who was captured at Nova’s Music Festival during the attack led by Hamas on October 7, 2023, has remained for most of the time and was tortured, said he had learned from military officers from military officers Israelis. “It was not easy to listen,” said Ohel. “I must say that I even passed out.”

“I don’t think there is a mother in this world that could even sleep,” knowing that her son was enduring that suffering, he added.

Similarly, Sigi Cohen, the mother of another hostage, Eliya Cohen, who was 26 years old when she was captured, said on the phone on Monday she had learned from Israeli security forces that her son, who was shot in her leg during her leg for The 2023 attack against Israel has not received treatment for its wounds.

According to reports, his son hardly sees the sun and has been tied during most of his almost 500 days in captivity, he added.

The New York Times could not independently confirm the information. An Israeli army spokesman, contacted by phone, declined to comment on Monday, citing the sensitivity of the subject.

The reports of the recently released hostages about what they and others have endured are aligned with the accounts of some of other captives released since the first phase of the fire cessation agreement entered into force last month.

And Dr. Hai Levine, who runs the medical team of the Family forum of Hosages, an umbrella group, told journalists on Monday that the hostages had been “hungry” and suffered “intentional torture”, and that many had returned home With infections that could become a threat, as well as emotional damage.

“The findings are clear and deeply alarming,” he said. “They are subject to deliberate starvation and severe deprivation of water” and “are experiencing extreme physical and emotional abuse.”

“There is a clear and present danger for all the lives of hostages,” added Dr. Levine. He said that any delay in the release of hostages “would probably cost lives.”

The relatives of some of the recently launched have also described details of the experiences of the hostages, and the serious state in which they are now.

“Yesterday, my brother or returned to us after 491 days of hell,” said Michael Levy in a statement on Sunday. His discomfort had been held in Hamas’ tunnels and returned to Israel a shadow of the man who once was, his brother said.

“I hugged him, but he was not the same or that he left his house on October 7,” said Levy, noting that his brother had returned “in poor physical condition and spent 16 months” hungry, barefoot and with constant fear “as Every day it could be the last.

But the “hardest blow” arrived on Saturday, he said, when his brother learned that his wife, Einav Levy, had not survived the attack at the Nova Music Festival.

The last details about the conditions under which some of the hostages were held when the fragile trucca seemed frayed.

Offer Calderón, who was published earlier this month, said in a statement on Monday: “They arrested me in tunnels without seeing daylight, I had no access to the media, he experienced severe hunger conditions, spent whole months without showering or Receive adequate attention. “

He requested a continuation of the fire and pointed out that after the first temporary agreement of the war was reached between Israel and Hamas, in November 2023, the conditions during their captivity and other hostages had “severely deteriorated and became brutal” .

“We must not stop the current agreement and we must continue working to free all hostages.” Calderón said. “Hamas is a cruel enemy who will not hesitate to damage the hostages that are left behind.”