Report: PM, defense ministers were ‘explicitly’ told months ago about starvation of hostages

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has known for some time that the hostages in Gaza are being intentionally starved by Hamas, Channel 12 reports, citing senior officials familiar with the intelligence material given to the premier on the hostages.

According to the report, Netanyahu was “frequently exposed to the hostages’ conditions,” as were former defense minister Yoav Gallant and his successor Israel Katz.

The three were “explicitly” told about “intentional starvation and about physical and mental abuse,” the report adds.

Furthermore, the unnamed officials tell Channel 12 that “what we saw yesterday was nothing. There are some in much worse conditions.”

“Anyone who says otherwise and pretends to be shocked now — they are lying to the public for political reasons,” the officials are quoted as having said.