Frailty of hostages ramps up anxiety

Gaunt appearance of latest released captives amplifies calls for those remaining to be returnedas soon as possible

- Bethan McKernan JERUSALEM

Still frail less than a week after his release from Hamas captivity, and processing the news that his wife, Eynav, was killed during the militants' attack on 7 October 2023, Or Levy told a crowd in Tel Aviv's Hostages Square last Friday that he had insisted his family and doctors allow him to come.

Israelis had been shocked by the gaunt appearances of Levy, 34, Eli Sharabi, 52, and Ohad Ben Ami, 56, as they were trooped on to a stage in Gaza City on 8 February and forced to read out statements before being handed to the Red Cross. After nearly 500 days in captivity, all three appeared to struggle to see in the daylight, and were so weak that they needed help to walk.

"It was important for me to understand everything you've done and continue to do... I genuinely feel that you all played a part in giving me my life back," Levy told the Tel Aviv crowd. "I may be here, but I still have many brothers and sisters in the hell of Gaza, and their time is running out." The three men appeared more frail than the 13 Israelis and five Thai citizens previously released in the ceasefire, sparking fears that if Hamas is freeing the healthiest captives first, the next to return will be in even worse shape. For much of the Israeli public, there is a renewed sense of urgency that the remaining hostages must be brought home as quickly as possible.

Niva Wenkert, whose 23-year-old son Omer is supposed to be freed during the first 42-day phase of the truce, told Reuters that seeing the state of the three men was like a punch in the gut.