Ex-hostages being treated at Rabin Medical Center have ‘severe but treatable nutrition problems’

Dr. Michal Steinman, director of Nursing at Rabin Medical Center (Beilinson), tells The Times of Israel that the five released hostages being treated in the hospital’s Returned Hostages Unit, Evyatar David, Guy Gilboa-Dalal, Alon Ohel, Eitan Mor, and Avinatan Or, have “severe but treatable nutrition problems.”

“The body remembers those 700-plus days of captivity and starvation,” Steinman says.

In February, when the hospital was preparing to treat nine released hostages — Liri Albag, Karina Ariev, Agam Berger, Naama Levy, Daniella Gilboa, Tal Shoham, Eliya Cohen, Omer Shem Tov, and Omer Wenkert — Steinman says the staff did “detective work” to understand their needs, and are now using the same protocols.

“Medically, right now, we don’t have any surprises,” she says. “The hostages interact, they smile. They came with a big drive to heal, recover, and rehabilitate.”

Steinman says she feels “very optimistic” about the hostages’ recovery.

“It’s going to be a very long road, and there are going to be ups and downs, but I think each one of them developed really special techniques of survival and how to keep their mind and soul guarded,” she says.

“It will take time,” Steinman says. “But these five amazing young men will live their lives, and they have plans and dreams to share with the world. They are really an inspiration.”