This article contains descriptions of torture pertaining to the Gaza hostages, which may not be suitable for some readers.
At least eight of the 24 living Gaza hostages have significant injuries, and five suffer from chronic illnesses or acute allergic reactions, according to a new comprehensive medical report published by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum on Monday.
The report marks one and a half years since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7, 2023.
The report, headed Prof. Hagai Levine, focuses on the deterioration in the physical and mental health of the 24 living hostages still held captive in Gaza. The findings are based on the testimonies of released hostages, Hamas-published videos, and family information.
"When examining the health of all the hostages together, a horrifying picture of life in hell is revealed," said Levine. "All of the hostages are subjected to inhumane physical and psychological torture and are at risk of death. Every one of them is a humanitarian case and must be rescued urgently."
Inhumane conditions
Thirty-three Israeli hostages were released as part of the first phase of the 2025 hostage deal, 25 of whom were alive.
Their testimonies revealed the inhumane conditions they were kept in, including physical and psychological torture, including choking, binding, hanging by the feet, burns, and deliberate starvation; detention in dark tunnels without natural light or air, while shackled in chains; severe shortages of food, water, and medical care, leading to malnutrition, extreme exhaustion, and deterioration in health.
The report added that some hostages were held in low tunnels, meaning they could not stand upright, and were not allowed to shower often for months on end. Many survivors said they were barefoot for their whole captivity.
Psychologically, many survivors spoke of the way in which their captors gave them false hope of imminent release, only to mock them afterward. They also suffered as a result of isolation from each other and the inability to tell the time or how long they had been in captivity.
The captors also humiliated captives and used cruelty to inflict psychological harm, the report added. Captors sometimes gave the hostages news about their families and then mocked their painful reactions.
Among some of the testimonies included reports of severely traumatic incidents, including hostages being made to witness incidents of physical and sexual abuse of others.
The report stressed that for wounded and ill hostages in Gaza, "each additional day in captivity may be fatal."
Several captivity survivors also reported how hostages identified as or believed to be soldiers experience worse torture, as well as prolonged isolation, sleep deprivation, and frequent beatings.
The conditions of individual hostages
According to the report, at least five hostages are known to suffer from pre-existing conditions such as asthma, allergies, and skin diseases. At least eight hostages have physical injuries, including serious eye injuries, a broken nose, burns, and infections. All of the hostages are malnourished, and many have experienced severe weight loss.
The report provides examples of captives with complicated physical and psychological conditions.
Alon Ohel, 24 years old, is said to have been seriously injured by shrapnel in his right eye and can only see shadows. Ohel also suffered from shrapnel injuries to his hands, shoulder, and neck. He is being held in chains, under extreme isolation, without daylight, and with severe food shortages. According to these testimonies, Ohel has been alone in captivity after the release of phase one hostages.
According to the testimony of a released hostage, Yosef-Hhaim Ohana, 24, suffers from severe gastrointestinal sensitivity, caused mainly by spoiled food and poor sanitary conditions in captivity. He frequently experiences vomiting and severe diarrhea, sometimes to the point of losing consciousness. He has also endured severe physical violence, psychological abuse, prolonged starvation, extremely poor hygiene conditions, and a significant loss of weight.
Matan Angrest, 21, was shown in a February 2025 Hamas video with suspected permanent damage to his right hand, facial asymmetry, and a broken nose, apparently as a result of torture. "The testimonies and the video raise concerns of bone damage and neurological injury, as well as serious mental harm," the report added. Released hostages said Angrest is being held in small cells resembling cages with bars and that he undergoes regular interrogations involving torture.
Rom Braslavski, 21, has suffered from asthma since childhood, as well as from a severe allergy that can cause skin rashes, itchy eyes, sneezing, and difficulty breathing. He also reportedly suffers from severe scoliosis and chronic back pain and wears glasses, which are not in his possession.
According to testimonies received by the family of Guy Gilboa, Dalal, 23, he is bound by his hands and feet, sometimes with a bag over his head, for days. He is starved, receiving only minimal food in total darkness, without knowing what he is eating. He is allowed to shower only once a month, using a bucket.
The Captivity Risk Triad
In order to analyze the conditions of the hostages, the report used a unique medical-epidemiological model called the Captivity Risk Triad, which describes the three main factors that influence the physical and mental condition of a hostage or survivor of captivity.
The three sides of the triangle are the individual, the agent, and the environment—with time at the center, intensifying vulnerability as captivity continues.
The 'individual' covers aspects such as existing health conditions and physical and psychological resilience. "These determine the person’s ability to withstand hunger, pain, fear, harsh conditions, and isolation," states the report.
The 'agent' refers to the captors’ behavior: levels of physical violence, psychological abuse, isolation, humiliation, intimidation, and neglect.
The environment includes the physical and psychological conditions of the place of captivity, including aspects such as food and water availability, air quality, extreme heat or cold, overcrowding, lack of daylight, and basic hygiene. It also includes the hostage’s location: whether above ground or held in underground tunnels, and whether they are isolated from others.
The report states that the Captivity Risk Triad enables a better understanding of the different factors involved in the physical and psychological state of the captives, which allows for the development of appropriate policy and tailored treatment for the returning hostages.
