Freed hostages to undergo intensive medical testing, examinations in coming hours

The hostages freed yesterday will undergo intensive medical testing and examination in the coming hours, Channel 12 news reports.

The outlet says that the 20 men released yesterday will spend time with their parents and siblings, but that the focus at the moment is their health — both physical and mental.

The former hostages have told family they endured long periods of starvation and were severely tortured while held captive in Gaza. Many of them also suffered injuries on October 7, 2023.

The last 20 living hostages released yesterday as part of a ceasefire deal were soldiers or civilians considered soldiers by the Palestinian terror groups holding them, and therefore likely experienced much harsher conditions than some of the captives released in previous rounds.