Some of the hostages released from Gaza were held in Gaza tunnels as part of the ceasefire agreement with Hamas for up to eight months continuously, without seeing daylight and having little human contact, said an Israeli senior officer.

Three civilian Israeli women and four female soldiers have so far been released after the ceasefire, which began on January 19. In return, Israel released 290 Palestinian convicts and prisoners.

“Some of them told us that in the last few months they were in tunnels, underground,” the deputy head of the Israeli army’s health corps, Colonel Dr. Avi Banoff, told reporters online. “Some of them were alone the whole time they were there,” he said. “The ones who said they were together were in better condition,” he added.

The Israeli army oversees the initial medical examinations that hostages undergo when they arrive on Israeli soil. Reuters was unable to reach Hamas’ armed wing for comment.

The hostages said their treatment improved in the days before their release, Banoff said, when they were allowed to shower, change clothes and have better food. They appeared to be in good condition and smiling in videos in the days after their release.

Citing the privacy of the hostages, Banoff would not specify whether any of the seven women bore signs of torture or abuse.

Some had not received proper care for injuries sustained when they were captured in the Hamas-led attack in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and some showed signs of “mild starvation,” he said.

The three Israeli civilians, who were released on the first day of the ceasefire, were discharged from hospital yesterday, Sunday. The four female soldiers, who were released in the second ceasefire exchange on Saturday, continue to be treated at another medical center.

Eitan Gonen, father of 24-year-old Romy Gonen, who was released on January 19, told Israel’s public broadcaster Kan: “Romy is admirable. We met a mature, extraordinary woman who surprised us all.”

Gonen would not give details about her health or her ordeal. But he said that while Romy was in custody, he had listened to some of the radio interviews he had given.

“Even if only 10 percent of the interviews reach the ears of the hostages, that’s enough to give them strength,” Gonen said. “It gave her a lot of strength, energy and a lot of hope.”

More than 250 people were taken hostage in the October 2023 Hamas attack. About half were released a month later during the previous war truce and others have been recovered dead or alive during the hostilities. Israel continues to have a list of 90 hostages in Gaza, with about 30 of them declared dead.

Twenty-six women, children, elderly, sick or injured hostages are yet to be released in the first six-week phase of the ceasefire. Reports say Hamas has sent a list of the names of the 25 hostages who are alive, out of 33 to be released.