In stark terms, Israel‘s Defense Ministry describes in a detailed report to be sent to the president of the Red Cross what the 12 hostages released earlier this year experienced. According to the report, the victims suffered ongoing sexual harassment and serious injuries while living in inhumane conditions that resulted in their lives being radically changed.

The contents of the report paint a grim picture of extreme forms of abuse, medical neglect and detention in inhumane conditions, which constitute torture and flagrant violations of international humanitarian law. The findings are based both on the testimonies of the released hostages and on medical evidence recorded after their return.

The Israeli Ministry stresses the urgent need to ensure that food, water and medical care are provided to those still in detention. At the same time, it warns that the conditions in which the remaining hostages are being held pose an immediate risk to their survival.

The analysis included in the report notes that the health condition of hostages who remain in captivity is described by the ministry as an immediate risk, while each additional day of detention dramatically increases the risk of irreversible damage to their physical and mental health.

Finally, the Israeli Ministry of Health stresses that the international community must exert immediate pressure to improve detention conditions and adhere to humanitarian standards in order to prevent further irreversible harm to the hostages.