Israel PM says images of freed Gaza captives ‘shocking’
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the images of three freed captives in Gaza are “shocking”.
“The shocking images that we have seen today will not go unaddressed,” the prime minister’s office said in a statement after Hamas fighters brought the three pale-looking captives onto a stage.
Before a crowd of hundreds of people, Hamas fighters pointed a microphone at each of the three men in turn and made them make a public statement, before handing them over to waiting Red Cross officials. It was the first time that captives freed during this phase of the ceasefire have been made to make public statements during their release.
Hours before the release, dozens of masked and armed Hamas fighters – some driving white pick-up trucks with guns mounted – lined up at the location of the exchange near the territory’s main north-south highway in central Gaza.
This was the fifth swap of captives for prisoners since the ceasefire began on January 19.
Israeli captive Ohad Ben Ami is escorted by Hamas fighters before being handed over to the Red Cross in Deir el-Balah, central Gaza, on Saturday
Herzog says condition of freed captives a ‘crime against humanity’
The Israeli president has made a statement about the release of the three Israeli captives, who appeared gaunt.
“This is what a crime against humanity looks like!” he said on X.
“The whole world must look directly at Ohad, Or, and Eli – returning after 491 days of hell, starved, emaciated and pained – being exploited in a cynical and cruel spectacle by vile murderers. We take solace in the fact that they are being returned alive to the arms of their loved ones,” Herzog added.
Throughout the war, Israel was repeatedly accused by humanitarian agencies of systematically hindering aid to Gaza, including food and medicine for people under siege amid famine-like conditions.
Last year, Refugees International said Israel “consistently and groundlessly impeded aid operations within Gaza, blocked legitimate relief operations and resisted implementing measures that would genuinely enhance the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza”.
‘Why didn’t you act earlier?’ Israeli opposition leader asks PM
Israel’s main opposition leader Yair Lapid has challenged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on his reaction to the physical conditions of the three released captives who looked frail.
“Netanyahu, you just discovered that the situation of the hostages is dire? Didn’t you know that before?” Lapid said on X.
“Because it was written in the intelligence documents that were placed on your desk in recent months. You saw these reports just like I did. What does it help them now that you ‘ordered to take action’? And if there are actions, why didn’t you order them earlier?”
Reports says Israel may reduce aid to Gaza over health of released captives
According to media reports in Israel, there is some consideration of reducing the amount of humanitarian aid allowed into Gaza in response to the apparent weight loss suffered by the three released captives.
There may also possibly be a demand for proof of life and the health status of the remaining captives who are alive.
But the leader of the opposition in Israel, Yair Lapid, told Netanyahu that he doesn’t buy this manufactured shock, as Netanyahu was aware from intelligence services reports that the status of Israeli captives was very dire.
Since Israel was denying the entry of food to Gaza, the captives were also suffering.
They were also going hungry, just as the population in Gaza was going hungry.
‘These captives could have been home looking much, much better’
Israeli political commentator Ori Goldberg says despite the “vigorous denial” by Prime Minister Netanyahu and the majority of Israeli society, the poor physical condition of the three freed captives is a direct result of the punishing 15-month war on Gaza.
“It’s very obvious the condition of the Israeli prisoners released has much to do with the situation in Gaza, which is to a major extent Israel’s responsibility,” Goldberg told Al Jazeera.
“The more you hear expressions of outrage over Hamas’s ‘horrific’ treatment of the prisoners, it gets more and more clear that Israelis are fully aware that had Israel not insisted on applying ‘military pressure’ for so many months, these captives and any others could have been home looking much, much better.”
He said most Israelis don’t see the release of 183 Palestinian prisoners as capitulation, but instead it “reinforces their sense of superiority”.
“One-hundred and eighty-three Palestinian prisoners are easily worth three of ours. You also have to remember the general dehumanisation of Palestinians in Israeli society. Israelis don’t care. Palestinians do not exist as full-sized human beings.”
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