Hostages’ families accuse Health Ministry report of violating captives’ privacy

In a letter to the ministry, families’ Forum says document detailing the plight of hostages in Hamas captivity breached doctor-patient privilege

Israelis held hostage since October 7 are transferred by Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists to the Red Cross in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, on November 28, 2023. (Photo by AFP)
Israelis held hostage since October 7 are transferred by Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists to the Red Cross in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, on November 28, 2023. (Photo by AFP)

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum has criticized the Health Ministry’s decision to publish a recent report on the hardships hostages had faced while in Hamas captivity, saying it violated freed captives’ right to privacy.

In a letter to the ministry, the Forum wrote that the hostages were not “public property” and that released hostages may not have agreed to have the information publicized.

While the report, which is based on testimonies from released hostages, does not identify any of them by name, the Forum said it was possible to identify some of the victims based on the descriptions in the report.

Dana Pugach, an attorney representing the families who wrote the letter, told the Haaretz newspaper that some of the released hostages did not know about the report or that their testimonies would be used in it.

The letter stressed the violation of privacy of minors mentioned in the report, saying it was unclear whether their guardians had consented to having the information published.

Pugach said previous letters to the ministry regarding the violation of released hostages’ privacy were ignored.

A Hamas terrorist stands guard as a Red Cross vehicle transports newly released hostages in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, on November 28, 2023. (AFP)

She told Haaretz that the violation of privacy began immediately upon their return. “Doctors were interviewed and gave indications that made it easy to identify which hostages they were talking about. We wrote to the Health Ministry and expected something would be done, but here comes this report showing there is a systematic violation of privacy and doctor-patient privilege.”

Pugach also said the report repeats information that was already provided discretely by families to Alice Edwards, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture. “You don’t need to go publish things for them to reach the UN rapporteur,” she said.

Pugach wrote that the report’s publication constitutes a crime under the Israeli criminal code, as it reveals identifying details of crime victims.

Ditza Heiman, 84, held hostage since October 7, is transferred by Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists to the Red Cross in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, on November 28, 2023. (Photo by AFP)

In response to the letter, the Health Ministry said the report’s purpose was to raise international awareness of the hostages’ plight and the urgent need to release them from captivity. The ministry also apologized for any harm caused to the hostages and their families, saying the issues addressed in the letter had been sent to senior ministry officials “so lessons will be learned.”

The Knesset will hold a session next week on the privacy of released hostages.

The report was compiled from the testimonies of hostages who were released in a November 2023 deal and those who were rescued by Israeli forces. It details how individuals were burned and beaten, starved and humiliated, as well as how the abuse impacted their mental and physical health, even long after they were freed.

Raz Ben Ami is reunited with her three daughters at Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv on November 29, 2023, after being held hostage in Gaza by Hamas for 54 days. (Courtesy)

The report said hostages were kept for days in darkness, with their hands and feet bound, and received little food or water. They were beaten all over their bodies. Some had hair pulled out and, in some cases, were burned and branded with metal heated over an open flame. Others, including children, were subjected to sexual assaults.

Injured hostages said they were not given painkillers and described agonizing pain during medical treatments that, in some cases, included surgical procedures.

Hostages said there was a lack of showers and that they were forced to wait hours or even days before being permitted to use a toilet. Some were forced to soil themselves.

Some female hostages were forced to work as “maids,” Channel 12 reported.

Released hostages related to authorities that they were deliberately separated from other family members who were being held. Captives, including children, were forced to watch videos of the October 7 atrocities.

Amit Soussana arrives in Israel after being held hostage for 55 days by the Hamas terror group, on November 30, 2023. (Courtesy)

According to the report, some hostages experienced a dramatic loss in weight due to starvation and lack of nourishment. Adult hostages lost 8 to 15 kilograms (18 to 33 pounds), while among child captives, there was an average loss of 10 percent in body weight, though in some cases, it was as high as 18%.

“Due to the terrible hygiene and unclean water, hostages suffered stomachaches and diarrhea during their time in captivity. All of this has serious mental consequences, especially in the case of children.”

There were 251 hostages abducted from Israel on October 7, 2023, during the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel that killed 1,200 people.

Ninety-six of them remain in Gaza, including the bodies of at least 34 confirmed dead by the IDF. Hamas released 105 civilians during a weeklong truce in late November, and four hostages were released before that. Eight hostages have been rescued by troops alive, and the bodies of 38 hostages have also been recovered, including three mistakenly killed by the Israeli military as they tried to escape their captors.

Most Popular
read more: