The Health Ministry has formulated a comprehensive protocol for treating hostages, who will soon be released, based on lessons learned from past experiences and knowledge gained from the 2023 exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners. The protocol includes detailed guidelines for medical examinations, mental health care, privacy protection, and long-term support for hostages and their families, emphasizing personalized care and respect for dignity.
Key guidelines
Advance information: Transfer of medical information to hospitals before hostages' arrival, including reports from border crossing medical teams
Initial assessment: Immediate evaluation with family member present, with option for female staff for women hostages
Comprehensive battery of tests: Infectious disease screening, pregnancy tests for women, 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 hostages as "other" in medical records, treatment in isolated units with closed visitor lists and absolute prohibition on photography and social media posting
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 hostage upon notification of their release, including reports from medical staff at the border crossing. Upon arrival, hostages will undergo initial examination accompanied by a family member or companion of their choice to rule out urgent medical conditions. Female hostages 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 hostages due to prolonged immobility, and complete nutritional evaluation including vitamin levels, potassium, zinc and B12.
Based on hostages' 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. Hearing aids have been purchased, and 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 hostages 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: hostages 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 hostages to Israel with a sense of mission, duty of excellence, professionalism and humility," notes 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."
According to Mizrahi, the plan was developed based on lessons learned from the 2023 exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, 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 hostage, and strict attention to privacy protection," she emphasized.
Four Central Hospitals, Two "Shortcut Destinations" in South and Psychiatric Care
Hostages will be admitted to one of four central hospitals: Sheba, Rabin, Tel Aviv Sourasky and Shamir. Additionally, Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba and Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon are designated as "shortcut destinations" for those requiring immediate treatment among hostages in complex and difficult conditions.
According to Mizrahi, she has not yet decided which hospital will be the first to receive hostages, and considerations will be "according to the hostages' condition." Regarding various scenarios, she noted among other things that there is preparation for the possibility that hostages 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."
"In the name of privacy protection principles, we want treatments to be given in a relatively isolated manner from the public," she added, "but if there are emergency cases requiring us to leave the hostages' unit for other parts of the hospitals, this will certainly happen."
Another possibility being prepared for is that hostages 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," says 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 hostage clinic or another clinic of the hostage'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."
