Israel: Returned hostages remain in medical observation, most with therapists

Israeli authorities updated on Sunday morning the condition of hostages that were returned after being held captive by Hamas in Gaza, all of whom have continued to receive medical observation and treatment.

Before their return to Israel, teams of professionals were brief and prepared to receive the hostages according to each one’s personal characteristics, age and family status, according to a press release from the Labor, Social Affairs and Social Services ministry.

"The Ministry prepared ahead of time to provide the abductees who returned from captivity with a therapeutic and social package that will help them recover from the difficult experience of captivity. Thorough staff work was done, each abductee and abductee who returned from captivity was assigned social workers who had undergone specialized training and a detailed professional briefing,” Labor, Social Affairs and Social Services Minister Ya'akov Margi.

The ministry, together with the Harov Institute, put together a first of its kind a protocol which detailed all the stages of assistance to children who have returned from captivity. It was described as “a guideline for the treatment and assistance of children, a population with unique characteristics and needs.”

Most of the returned hostages are still displaced from their homes in southern Israel, while nine of them have rented a new place, 26 are staying with relatives, 27 are accommodated at hotels, and three senior citizens moved to an assisted living area. In addition, 21 of the children have returned to school.

Out of all the Israelis that were returned, most are still under the supervision of a nurse in the community, two are hospitalized, and 54 people were assigned psychologists or therapists for continued mental health care.