Health Ministry issues guidelines for hospitals set to receive hostages

Reporter at The Times of Israel

A group of Israelis watch as a helicopter carrying hostages released from the Gaza Strip lands at the helipad of the Schneider Children's Medical Center in Petah Tikva November 26, 2023.(AP/Leo Correa)
A group of Israelis watch as a helicopter carrying hostages released from the Gaza Strip lands at the helipad of the Schneider Children's Medical Center in Petah Tikva November 26, 2023.(AP/Leo Correa)

The Health Ministry has issued new guidelines for hospitals to receive hostages released during the upcoming ceasefire-hostage release agreement.

Dr. Hagar Mizrahi, head of the Health Ministry’s General Medicine Division, says the updated protocol differs “significantly” from the one implemented for hostages released during the temporary ceasefire deal of November 2023, when 105 hostages were released.

“There is a risk that returning hostages may develop Refeeding Syndrome,” Dr. Mizrahi explains. “This condition arises when individuals deprived of food during captivity attempt to compensate by consuming carbohydrates, potentially leading to serious harm.”

The protocol advises a minimum hospital stay of four days for returning hostages. Mizrahi notes that some of the previously released hostages regretted leaving earlier than recommended, suggesting extended stays could better support their recovery.

The guidelines emphasize the need for heightened attention to hygiene due to concerns about potential exposure to pathogens during captivity.

The ministry also urges families and visitors to avoid taking photos or posting updates on social media from hospital premises, warning such actions could inadvertently harm the recovery process of those freed from Hamas captivity.

There will be documentation and collection of forensic evidence from the atrocities they have suffered, Mizrahi says. Among other things, hostages will undergo tests for sexually transmitted diseases and female abductees will also be given pregnancy tests.

Most Popular