Israel’s Health Ministry has formulated a comprehensive protocol for treating hostages, due soon to be released from Hamas captivity in Gaza, based on lessons learned from the 2023 exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian terrorists.

The protocol includes detailed guidelines for medical examinations, mental health care, privacy protection and long-term support for returnees and their families, emphasizing personalized care and respect for dignity.

Key guidelines

Advance information: Transfer of medical information to hospitals before returnees’ arrival, including reports from border-crossing medical teams;

Initial assessment: Immediate evaluation with a family member present, with the option of female staff for women returnees;

Comprehensive battery of tests: Infectious disease screening, pregnancy tests, blood clot detection tests and complete nutritional assessment;

Minimum stay: Recommendation for at least four days of hospitalization for organization and acclimation;

Care framework: Dedicated team including specialist physicians, coordinating nurse, social worker and forensic doctor;

Privacy protection: Coding returnees as “other” in medical records, treatment in isolated units with closed visitor lists and absolute prohibition on photography and social media posting; and

Continued care: Long-term support in community clinics and assistance with medical equipment such as hearing aids.

Hospitals will receive advance medical information about each returnee upon notification of his or her release, including reports from medical staff at the border crossing. Upon arrival, returnees will undergo initial examination accompanied by a family member or companion of their choice to rule out urgent medical conditions. Female returnees have the option for examination by female medical staff.

The medical protocol includes a comprehensive series of tests: infectious disease screening, pregnancy tests for women of childbearing age, assessment for blood clots—a condition observed in past returnees due to prolonged immobility, and complete nutritional evaluation including vitamin levels, potassium and zinc.

Based on returnees’ medical conditions, consultations will be held with specialists in various fields, including ophthalmologists, gynecologists, geriatricians and dentists. The Health Ministry recommends a minimum four-day hospital stay for organization and acclimation.

The ministry is also prepared for specific needs. Health funds are committed to providing personally fitted hearing aids to those who need them. After release, a coordinating nurse and social worker will accompany returnees to ensure continuity of care in community clinics. A permanent care team, including a forensic doctor for documenting injuries, will be responsible for ongoing treatment.

Privacy first

Privacy receives special attention: Returnees will be coded as “other” in medical records to prevent unauthorized information searches. Treatment will be provided in an isolated unit with a closed visitor list, including separate areas for hosting families and rest. A separate space has been allocated for military personnel to prevent crowding in corridors.

Photography is absolutely prohibited in the unit, and families are instructed to avoid posting information on social media. All media coverage will be coordinated and approved only through the Health Ministry spokesperson’s office.

“Israel’s healthcare system awaits the return of the hostages from captivity with anticipation, and is leading the absorption of returnees to Israel with a sense of mission, professionalism and humility,” said Dr. Hagar Mizrahi, head of the Health Ministry’s medical division.

“Experience shows that return from captivity requires immediate hospital evaluation and treatment, followed by long-term monitoring including medical, mental health and social aspects,” she said.

According to Mizrahi, the plan was developed based on lessons learned from the November 2023 exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian terrorists, and experience gained from other rescue operations. “The response must be comprehensive and prolonged, with personal adaptation to the choices of each male and female returnee, and strict attention to privacy protection,” she said.

Four central hospitals, two ‘shortcut destinations’ in the south

Returnees will be admitted to one of four central hospitals: Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer in Ramat Gan, Rabin Medical Center in Petach Tikva, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov Hospital) and Shamir Medical Center (formerly Assaf Harofeh Medical Center) in Be’er Ya’akov.

Additionally, Soroka Medical Center in Beersheva and Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon are designated as “shortcut destinations” for returnees requiring immediate treatment of complex and difficult conditions.

Mizrahi said she has not decided which hospital will be the first to receive returnees, and considerations will be “according to the returnees’ condition.” She noted that there is preparation for the possibility that returnees will need intensive care.

“Our preparation is for more complex and difficult mental and physical aspects. The days spent in captivity have implications. Refeeding syndrome is one of the issues we’re preparing for. Intensive care is also on the table and there may be cases requiring more intensive treatment.”

(If too much food or liquid nutrition supplement is consumed during the four to seven days following a malnutrition event, the electrolyte imbalance may cause neurologic, pulmonary, cardiac, neuromuscular and hematologic symptoms.)

“In the name of privacy protection, we want treatments to be given in a relatively isolated manner from the public,” Mizrahi added, “but if there are emergency cases requiring us to leave the returnees’ unit for other parts of the hospitals, this will certainly happen.”

Another possibility being prepared for is that returnees may need psychiatric hospitalization. “We will allow them to stay within the unit to provide maximum mental health care there, including a long-term hospitalization-like framework according to medical needs and family requests,” said Mizrahi.

However, if needed, there is the possibility of hospitalization in a psychiatric ward in the same hospital or in a psychiatric hospital.

One of the lessons learned relates to continuity of care and hospitals’ responsibility after discharge. “There is a need to ensure they receive continued care at the hospital’s returnee clinic or another clinic of the returnee’s choice. This is in light of lessons we learned where continued care was not maintained, especially in the mental health aspect. Therefore, we have community liaison nurses,” Mizrachi said. JNS

{Matzav.com}