*Ministry of Health Press Release*
*This week, the Ministry of Health is submitting a special report to the United Nations, outlining the mental and physical conditions of those kidnapped by the Hamas terrorist, Who have returned to Israel about a year ago, while a 100 hostages are still being held in captivity.*
The report, prepared by the Ministry of Health and now being presented to the UN, is divided into two sections. The first section details the neglect, abuse, torture, and humiliation suffered by the hostages who were released or rescued from captivity in Gaza, as well as the impact of these experiences on their physical and Physical and mental condition. This section is based on interviews with medical teams who treated the hostages upon their return to Israel. The second section of the report discusses rehabilitation models that have been deemed appropriate for the returnees, drawing on data collected from primary care nurses, physicians, and mental health professionals who have been providing ongoing care, including through specialized clinics for returnees.
*Uriel Busso, Minister of Health:*
"The report we are submitting to the UN is a harrowingtestimony to the brutal experiences suffered by the hostages in Hamas captivity—cruel violence, psychological abuse, physical torment, and acts that defy comprehension. These are actions that cannot be tolerated and demand that the world wake up and take action. The report highlights the horrors the hostages endured and reveals to the world the brutality of the enemy with whom Israel is engaged. The testimonies presented in this report serve as a wake-up call for the international community to apply increased pressure on Hamas and its supporters to free all the hostages without delay. I urge the global community to utilize all available means to end this cruelty and bring the hostages home immediately. It is a moral and humanitarian imperative, and the time to act is running out."
*Moshe Bar-Siman-Tov, Director General of the Ministry of Health:*
"This critical report underscores the urgent need to release all hostages as swiftly as possible. The healthcare system mobilized immediately at the onset of the war to treat the many wounded, both physically and psychologically, and to care for those returning from captivity. This report, being submitted to the UN and other international organizations this week, outlines the severe conditions of those who have returned from Hamas captivity and emphasizes the urgency of their immediate release.
We view it as both a responsibility and a privilege to provide optimal medical care and support for those who were brutally kidnapped by Hamas militants. We are hopeful for the return of all hostages—the living for treatment and rehabilitation, and the deceased for a dignified burial in Israel."
*Dr. Hagar Mizrahi, head of medical directorate at the Ministry of Health:*
"Since the war began, medical teams have been working day and night to treat and save the many wounded, both physically and mentally. From the outset, the healthcare system has been entrusted with the care of those who were cruelly kidnapped by Hamas. We have been exposed to the horrors and appallingconditions that the returnees endured, as well as the profoundsuffering of those who were murdered in captivity.
Not a day passes without my thoughts being with the immense hardships faced by those who have returned, and those still held in captivity. The severe physical and mental states of the returnees offer the world a glimpse into the widespread atrocities committed by Hamas. Based on the testimonies we have received, I can confidently say that the physical and mental condition of all hostages still held in Gaza is dire. It is therefore imperative that all efforts be made to act and bring them back. Without the return of the hostages, families and communities will be unable to heal and return to their daily routine."
Please find the report attached.
Shira Solomon
Spokesperson for the Israeli Ministry of Health
