The 13 Israeli hostages released yesterday by the Islamist group Hamas were in “good health” following physical and psychological medical tests, medical authorities at the Israeli hospitals where they were treated confirmed.
“The condition of the four children and four women who returned to Israel last night is good; They are with their families in an exclusive and separate complex, surrounded by medical and psychosocial teams,” reported the Schneider Hospital in Petra Tikva, which specializes in pediatrics.
The four released minors were treated at this hospital: sisters Raz and Aviv Katz-Asher, ages 4 and 2; Emilia Aloni, 5 years old, and the children, Ohad Mundar, 9 years old.
Their mothers, Doron Katz-Asher, 34, were also treated at this hospital; Danielle Aloni, 44, and Keren Mundar, 54; and Ruth Mundar, 78, Ohad’s grandmother.
The remaining freedmen, five elderly women, received medical care at Wolfson Medical Center in Holon, south of Tel Aviv, where they were also reunited with their families.
“The five who arrived yesterday are stable. Each individual will be treated according to their condition based on the initial examinations carried out yesterday,” the hospital said in a statement.
These women are Adina Moshe, 72 years old; Hanna Katzir, 77; Margalit Mozes, 78; Channa Peri, 79; and Yaffa Adar, 85, known for the viral video of her entering the Gaza Strip on a golf cart with several armed militiamen.
According to Wolfson Hospital, some of them are “weak and exhausted” so they are unlikely to be discharged today.
With the exception of Peri, who was captured in Nirim, the rest of those released yesterday were kidnapped by Hamas in the October 7 attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz, one of the group’s most massacred kibbutz, in which they killed about 80 people took hostage.
In addition to the 13 Israelis, Hamas also released ten Thais and one Filipino yesterday. The latter was identified as Jimmy Pacheco (33), who was caring for an elderly man, Amitai Ben Zvi (80), who died in the stroke in Nir Oz.
The Thais, nine men and one woman, were identified as Natthawaree Moonkan, Santi Boonphrom, Boonthom Phankhong, Mongkhol Phajuabboon, Withoon Phumee, Wichai Kalapat, Bancha Kongmanee, Buddee Saengboon, Uthai Thunsri and Uthai Sangnuan.
Thailand estimates that about 32 of its nationals were killed by Hamas during the attack and about 26 were kidnapped on October 7. Thailand is the country with the most casualties outside of Israel and most of them were employed as agricultural workers.
Hamas and Israel agreed to release 50 kidnapped people in exchange for the release of 150 Palestinian prisoners, in both cases all women and minors, as part of a four-day ceasefire that could be extended for another six days.