HAMAS drugged Israeli hostages to make them look cheerful for “farewell” footage when they freed them from Gaza, doctors say.
A Health Ministry representative said that the freed hostages were given tranquilliser pills before being handed over to the Red Cross for transfer to Israel.
AL-QASSAM BRIGADES/UNPIXSDuring a week-long truce, Hamas has released 105 hostages from Gaza[/caption]
HAMAS/UNPIXSIsraeli hostages were seen smiling and waving at Hamas during their release[/caption]
HAMAS/UNPIXSIsraeli health representative said hostages were drugged to appear cheerful[/caption]
HAMAS/UNPIXSMia Schem was one of the last eight hostages released before the end of ceasefire[/caption]
Dr Hagar Mizrahi, head of the Health Ministry’s medical division, specifically named the drug Clonazepam, known as Clonex in Israel.
Clonex is used to treat anxiety, seizures, bipolar mania, psychosis and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
The ministry representative didn’t specify if the drugging was confirmed by blood tests done on hostages or from their testimonies.
Families of captives have spoken to the committee earlier to raise the issue.
The health committee chair, Yonatan Mashriki has urged the ministry to share reports on the drugging and other medical findings with the health organisations around the world.
Hamas has released 105 women and children during the seven-day ceasefire deal.
About 160, including two children, are still being held.
One of them was Emelia Aloni, 5, who was held captive underground in Gaza for 49 days together with her mum.
She was recently seen reuniting with her classmates on her first day back at school.
Emelia’s mum said their time as hostages was “like horror movie”.
Danielle Aloni, 45, was forced to write an open letter during her imprisonment, praising Hamas and saying her daughter was treated “like a queen”.
But ten days after their release, the distressed mother said: “Our daughter saw things that children at that age, or at any age, should not see.”
Mia Schem, 21, was handed over to Red Cross and reunited with her mother and brother last week.
The 21-year-old was snatched by the terror group from the Supernova music festival on October 7.
Ten days after her capture, Hamas released a footage of Mia receiving medical care for her wounded arm and pleading to be released.
Later, her family claimed she had undergone a three-hour operation carried out by a veterinarian.
Mia was among the last eight hostages freed on Thursday before the ceasefire deal expired.
In turn, Israel has freed 240 Palestinian prisoners during the truce.
Israel has pounded Gaza with a total of 710 shells for every square mile since the beginning of the bloody war.
Its forces launched an assault in the south of Gaza on Tuesday in the biggest attack since the temporary ceasefire expired last week.
HAMAS/UNPIXSTen days after her capture, Hamas released a video of Mia getting medical care[/caption]
AFP240 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel were released during the truce deal[/caption]
APAImages / PolarisSince beginning of the war, Israel has dropped 710 shells on every square mile of Gaza[/caption]
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