Elderly women who were abducted to the Gaza Strip by Hamas and returned to Israel in the first two phases of the hostage deal experienced an average weight loss of 8 to 15 kilograms in captivity, the Health Ministry reported on Monday.
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Experts from the ministry, security agencies and the healthcare system noted that "the children arrived in better nutritional condition," while "the elders lost between 8-15 kilograms."
This data complements a series of testimonies published since the release of the captives, detailing their hunger and inadequate nutrition during captivity, as described by both their relatives and the medical teams who treated them.
According to a doctor who treated several captives, "the amount of food the captives received each day was very small." She added, "In terms of food, most of them received half a slice of bread twice a day. That's what they reported. Occasionally, some people received more than that. Overall, they describe conditions of confinement and anxiety."
"A 10% weight loss in three months is considered rapid, but here we are talking about a month and a half and a weight loss of 8 to 15 kilograms. It likely represents a decrease of at least 10 to 20 percent, and that is quite significant"
The captives from Thailand were said to have been given more adequate nutrition. "There was an incident of overfeeding among the foreign workers." However, a medical expert who dealt with their condition said that, in general, the foreign captives who were held together with Israeli captives did not receive better treatment.
Nutrition experts said that while the information is still partial, it certainly indicates prolonged hunger suffered during captivity. According to Michal Levi, a clinical dietitian at the Leumit healthcare fund, "When we talk about weight loss, we refer to percentages, making it challenging to relate to numerical data. A 10% weight loss in three months is considered rapid, but here we are talking about a month and a half and a weight loss of 8 to 15 kilograms. It likely represents a decrease of at least 10 to 20 percent, and that is quite significant."