Israel says a Hamas list released overnight shows that eight of the 33 hostages to be freed in the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire are dead, reports the AP. The next release of hostages is scheduled to take place on Thursday, followed by another on Saturday. Whether hostages are alive or dead inside Gaza has been a wrenching question for families who have pushed Israel's government to reach a deal to free them, fearing that time was running out. Approximately 90 hostages are still in captivity; prior to this announcement, Israel believed at least 35 of them were dead.
Meanwhile, an Israeli military doctor who has treated the returning hostages released by Hamas in recent days says they are in poor physical condition and face a lengthy recovery process. Dr. Ami Benov told reporters on Monday that the seven young women were suffering from "mild starvation" and vitamin deficiencies. He says all of them suffered injuries in the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack and that the medical care they received was poor. "They're not in a good shape. They're not good physically," he said. Benov says their mental states are "very complicated." He says the women were held in tunnels and deprived of sunlight for at least eight months.
Benov says one of the challenges will be the "grounding" process in which they gradually understand they have regained control over such decisions as what to eat, what to wear, and where and when to meet their families. "We feel obligated to give them the option to do whatever they feel right," he said. But he said everything is being done in "very small steps."
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