health, hygiene, psychological state… What does the system for welcoming Israeli hostages consist of?

A new reception procedure, different from that which was implemented for the hostages released in November 2023, has been prepared in Israel.

Sunday January 19 will begin the first phase of the ceasefire in Gaza, with the release of the first three Israeli hostages. Hostages who will be treated immediately in medical centers. The Israeli army has prepared a reception system called “Wings of Liberty”.

The hostages will first be taken to one of three complexes set up for their return in Kerem Shalom and Reim, not far from the south of the Gaza Strip, and in Erez, in the north. They will be directed to one of these three sites according to their release route. Once there, they will be welcomed by representatives of the IDF, doctors and psychologists. They will take a shower, change clothes and be examined.

Military officials said some of the hostages were injured and needed emergency medical treatment. Once this first step is completed, they will be transported by helicopter to different Israeli hospitals. Six establishments are mobilized: this is where the ex-hostages will reunite with their families for the first time.

The Ministry of Health indicated that new instructions have been given to these hospitals. Instructions “very” different from those implemented for hostages released in November 2023. These include tests for sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy tests which could be used as forensic evidence.

Increased attention must be paid to hygiene, due to the risk of exposure to pathogens in captivity, the ministry also specifies. Doctor Hagai Levine, who represents the families of the hostages and the missing, explains that the health damage suffered by the hostages will be “multi-dimensional and multi-systemic, affecting both the body and mind. We expect all aspects of their physical and mental health to be affected”he said.