Irregular meals, benches as beds, details of hostages' captivity emerge

Vehicles carrying hostages released from the Gaza Strip arrive at a hospital in Ramat Gan, Israel, Nov 26, 2023. [Xinhua]

"Until she saw the Red Cross," he said. "This is the moment when she realized, okay, these horrifying seven weeks are over."

She emerged to the news that her husband had been killed by the militants and her son's family had miraculously survived.

Doctors have warned of the steep psychological toll of captivity. Israel has made counseling and other support available to those who have been released.

But most of the freed hostages have appeared to be in good physical condition, able to walk and speak normally.

But at least two needed more serious medical care. One hostage released Sunday, 84-year-old Alma Abraham, was rushed to Israel's Soroka Medical Center in the southern city of Beersheba in life-threatening condition.

The hospital's director said she had a pre-existing condition that had not been treated properly in captivity. Another young female hostage was on crutches in a video Hamas released Saturday. The girl grimaced at her captors as she entered a Red Cross vehicle bringing her out of the besieged enclave.

Yair Rotem, whose 12-year-old niece, Hila Rotem-Shoshani, was released Sunday, said he had to keep reminding her she didn't need to whisper.

"They always told them to whisper and stay quiet, so I keep telling her now she can raise her voice," said Rotem. He added that Hila, who will celebrate her 13th birthday Monday, slept well during her first night back in Israel and has an appetite.

Ohad Munder was surrounded by friends soon after his release, as they celebrated his ninth birthday a month late - with ice cream and pizza in a hospital ward.

Ohad's friend, Eitan Vilchik, told Israel's Channel 13 that his friend was "emotionally strong" and already able to answer their questions about what he ate and what happened to him while he was in captivity. But Ohad's friends refused to share details, saying they wanted to respect his privacy.

Vilchik said teachers have canceled Munder's homework requirements, but his friends will help him make up the subjects he missed in school.

He said Ohad was still able to solve a Rubik's cube in less than a minute.