Israeli Prisoners in Gaza Are Not Tortured by Hamas, But Starving Because Food Supplies Have Run Out

ILLUSTRATION/LIFE UNICEF/Abed Zaqout/PHOTO via news.un.org

JAKARTA - Israeli prisoners released from Gaza did not experience torture or bad treatment by Palestinian groups, Israeli media reported.

Israel's Channel 12 said it met with a number of relatives of Israeli prisoners freed by the Hamas group in Gaza, who confirmed that they had not experienced any form of torture or ill-treatment.

However, the channel said the captives received limited amounts of food.

"In the last two weeks, Gaza has almost run out of food, so they have to survive on little rice, and they are very hungry," reported the channel as reported by ANTARA from Anadolu, Tuesday, November 28.

Israel still does not allow freed captives to talk to the media. However, there were a number of relatives who spoke to the media without giving their names.

Prisoners in Gaza are allowed to listen to Israeli radio channels.

An Israeli doctor who examined the freed captives said they relied on rice, beans and bread, adding that some of them had lost weight.

“One of the captives lost 20 kg, one lost 9 kg, and the other lost 12 kg,” said the doctor.

On November 24, a humanitarian pause initially set for four days between Israel and Palestinian factions came into effect at 7 am local time.

The humanitarian pause agreement includes the release of 50 Israeli prisoners from Gaza in exchange for the release of 150 Palestinians, as well as the entry of hundreds of trucks of humanitarian aid, medical aid and fuel throughout the Gaza Strip.

Qatar on Monday, November 27 announced that the humanitarian pause would be extended for two days.

Israel's attacks on Gaza since October 7, 2023 have killed at least 14,854 Palestinians, including 6,150 children and more than 4,000 women, according to health authorities in the territory. Meanwhile, the death toll in Israel reached 1,200 people.