Hospitals: None of the ‘extraordinary’ women released from Gaza last night are in immediate danger

The hostages released from Hamas captivity in Gaza last night are undergoing medical and psychological evaluations at Ichilov Hospital and Sheba Medical Center.

Prof. David Zeltser, deputy director of emergency medicine at Ichilov, reports that the two women brought there are in generally good physical condition and had joyous reunions with their family members.

Prof. Itai Pessach, director of the Edmond and Lily Safra Children’s Hospital at Sheba, called the eight returnees who arrived at his hospital “a group of extraordinary women who endured the hardships of their captivity in a remarkable fashion.”

Pessach reports that some of the women had complex underlying medical issues and that some suffered injuries as they were being abducted or during their captivity.

“Their medical situation is complex and they will need ongoing medical treatment and attention, but there is no immediate danger to any of them,” he confirms.

Pessach adds that 17-year-old former hostage Mia Leimberg returned from captivity with her dog Bella and that the hospital was happy to host the pet.

A veterinarian from the Sheba veterinary service was called in to examine Bells and determined that she was well. The dog will stay with Leimberg in the hospital for as long as she is there.

“We are glad to be able to take part in this important task [of treating the returning hostages]. Our emotions range from joy and excitement when seeing the captives return and reunite with their families to pain and sadness, and even horror sometimes, in view of the difficult stories that we hear and the injuries that we treat — things we thought belonged to a different era in history,” Pessah shares.