Following the release of three more Israeli hostages held by the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip, harrowing details about the conditions of their captivity have come to light.
The brother of Or Levy reported that the 34-year-old had been “hungry, barefoot, and in constant fear’’ for 16 months.
Levy was released on Saturday along with two other men as part of a ceasefire agreement with Hamas.
The images of the emaciated and frail hostages have caused shock in Israel.
Israeli media reported that one of the men had been chained and spent almost the entire time in a dark tunnel, where he could neither stand upright nor walk.
Levy only learned of his wife’s death in the Hamas-led massacre on October 7, 2023, after his release.
He had an emotional reunion with his surviving three-year-old son.
Hostage Eli Sharabi was also unaware that he had lost his wife, his daughters and his brother.
The medical professor in charge of the hostages, Hagai Levine, spoke of the “brutal, inhumane conditions’’ of Hamas captivity.
He warned that the remaining hostages in the Gaza Strip were in immediate mortal danger and called for their immediate release.
The examinations of the freed hostages reportedly had alarming results.
They suffered from severe malnutrition and multiple organ damage.
In captivity, they reportedly experienced “extremely poor hygiene, a lack of fresh air and sunlight,’’ as well as extreme physical and psychological abuse by the captors, said Levine.
He warned of serious long-term physical and mental consequences.
