From darkness to daylight: The difficult journey ahead for freed Hamas hostages

TEL AVIV Israel AP They will be treated for malnutrition lack of sunlight and the trauma of wearing leg chains for months They suffer from unexplained pain and unresolved emotions and they will have to relearn how to make everyday decisions as simple as when to use the bathroom The last living hostages disclosed by Hamas are beginning a complicated path to recovery that will also include rebuilding a sense of control over their lives according to Israeli soundness executives Along the way each one will be accompanied by a club of doctors nurses specialists and social workers to guide their reentry to society after two years of captivity in Gaza All of the hostages were in stable condition Monday following their release and none required immediate intensive care But what appears on the outside doesn t reflect what s going on internally explained Dr Hagai Levine the head of the wellness squad for the Hostages Family Forum who has been involved in healthcare care for returned hostages and their relatives The newly freed hostages will stay in the hospital for several days as they undergo tests including a full psychiatric exam according to protocols from the Israeli Ministry of Medical A nutritionist will guide them and their families on a diet to avoid refeeding syndrome a dangerous healthcare condition that can develop after periods of starvation if food is reintroduced too swiftly Hostages emerged thin and pale After previous releases selected hostages and their families chose to stay together in a hotel north of Tel Aviv for a sparse weeks to get used to their new reality Others returned home right now after their discharge from the hospital All of the hostages who emerged Monday were exceptionally thin and pale the likely development of enduring long periods without enough food Levine noted The lack of sunlight and nutrition can lead to issues with the kidneys liver and cognition as well as osteoporosis A multitude of hostages wore leg chains for their entire captivity which can lead to orthopedic problems muscle waste and blood clots Elkana Bohbot informed his family he suffers from pain all over his body especially his back feet and stomach due to force-feeding according to Israeli television s Channel Ahead of his release he received food in large portions so he will look a bit better for the world Rebecca Bohbot Elkana s wife explained reporters Tuesday from the hospital Chosen hostages who previously returned had minor strokes in captivity that were not treated Levine noted A large number of also had infections and returned with severely compromised immune systems which is why the number of visitors should be kept to a minimum Levine commented Previously circulated hostages were informed they look pretty good but several needed surgeries that were very complicated Chosen had constant pain Multiple have all types of pains that they are not able to explain but it s really impacting their quality of life Levine disclosed Levine mentioned Israel also learned from the Arab-Israeli war when more than Israeli soldiers were held for six months in Syria A large number of of them later developed cancer cardiovascular problems and accelerated aging and were at pitfall for early death The war began when Hamas-led militants burst across the Israeli dividing line killing around people and kidnapping The fighting has killed more than Palestinians according to Gaza s Medical Ministry which is part of the Hamas-run regime The ministry maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by U N agencies and independent experts It does not say how various of the deaths were civilians or combatants Restoring a sense of autonomy The greater part significant step for returning hostages is to help them regain a sense of control explained Einat Yehene a clinical neuropsychologist and the head of rehabilitation for the Hostages Families Forum A large number of of the hostages were brought straight from Hamas tunnels seeing sunlight for the first time in nearly two years she stated I m happy to see the sun I m happy to see the trees I saw the sea You have no idea how precious that is Elkana Bohbot advised his family according to Israeli media Stimulation-wise and autonomy-wise it s really overwhelming Yehene declared Someone is asking you a question do you need to go to the bathroom Would you like to eat something These are questions they never heard for two years Hostages sense of autonomy can be jump-started by allowing them to make small decisions According to protocol everyone treating them must ask their permission for each thing no matter how small including turning off a light changing bedsheets or conducting physiological tests Specific returned hostages are terrified of the physical sensation of thirst because it makes them feel as if they are still in captivity Yehene revealed Others cannot spend time on their own requiring a family member to be present around the clock Among the hostages who have experienced the smoothest integration from long-term captivity were those who were fathers Levine declared though it took specific time to rebuild trust with their young children It s a facilitator of recovery because it forces them to get back into the role of father Levine reported None of the women held in captivity for long periods of time were mothers The world starts to move again The first limited days after being distributed the hostages are in a state of euphoria though a great number of feel guilty for the pain their families have been through Yehene commented For those who saw little media and have no idea what happened in Israel people should take care to expose them to information slowly she added Yehene disclosed she also saw an immediate psychological response from hostages who were published in previous ceasefires after Monday s release Various of the previously issued hostages have been involved in the struggle to return the last hostages and stated they were unable to focus on their own recovery until now I see movement from frozen emotions and frozen trauma Yehene reported You don t feel guilty anymore You don t feel responsible Iair Horn was issued from captivity in February but it did not feel real until Monday when his younger brother Eitan was definitively freed About eight months ago I came home But the truth is that only nowadays am I truly free Horn noted sobbing as he spoke from the hospital where his brother is being evaluated Only now that Eitan is back is my heart our heart whole again Liran Berman is the brother of twins Gali and Ziv Berman who were also circulated For days our lives were trapped between hope and fear Liran Berman declared The day prior that chapter ended Seeing Gali and Ziv again holding them after so long was like feeling the world start to move again Source