A new report by the medical division of the Hostage Families Forum revealed the severe distress faced by the families of deceased hostages, who struggle with psychological trauma, depression, anxiety, and a lack of institutional recognition. Many families are unable to return to their daily lives and work.
The report is based on systematic data collection through semi-structured, in-depth interviews conducted between December 2024 and January 2025. Seventeen family members of varying degrees of relation were interviewed with informed consent. Dr. Einat Yehene, a rehabilitation psychologist with the Hostage Families Forum Health Division, conducted the interviews.
The report also found that families experience physical and mental decline, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic symptoms that impair their ability to function. Many families are unable to return to their normal routines and work due to functional difficulties and sleep disorders.
Since Hamas's terror attack on October 7, in which 251 people were kidnapped to Gaza, 31 hostages have been declared deceased, while 36 were murdered during captivity.
Many families continue to face extreme uncertainty about the fate of 73 of their loved ones.
Even among those who have been able to bury their loved ones, grief remains disrupted due to the nature of the abduction, the ambiguous loss, and complications in receiving official confirmation of death.
Some families continue to fight for the return of their loved ones, while others feel the information provided to them lacks certainty as long as there is no tangible proof and proper burial.
Dr. Einat Yehene, a rehabilitation psychologist and author of the report, explained that the situation in which hostages were declared deceased for various reasons during captivity creates an unprecedented and disrupted bereavement process.
"Even among families where the deceased was brought for burial, there was a significant time gap between receiving the notification and holding the funeral, which sometimes took months. Some families struggle to accept death based solely on intelligence information, while others who have had to bury their loved ones experience heightened psychological distress due to the prolonged uncertainty. Some families continue to wrestle with painful doubt," Yehene said.
"There are families who refuse to use terms like 'body' or the title 'of blessed memory' (Z”L), as for them, it diminishes hope and prevents them from holding on to the possibility of their loved one's return. Even language struggles to define this situation," they added.
According to the report, families face an increased risk of anxiety disorders, depression, and post-traumatic stress, due to both their exposure to distressing content (videos, intelligence reports) and the ongoing stress caused by delays in information and burial procedures. Many families reported severe physical symptoms, including insomnia, chronic fatigue, physical weakness, declining health, and weakened immune systems.
"The uncertainty and constant questioning about the hostage’s fate not only cause immense psychological suffering—they also directly harm the health of family members and may shorten their lives. Returning the deceased is not just about giving them a final honor but is also a necessary step in saving lives. Additionally, many families suffer from a severe decline in daily functioning, including leaving their jobs or experiencing a significant drop in productivity, inability to care for their children or manage household responsibilities, and difficulties in relationships and social interactions," the researchers concluded.
Professor Hagai Levine, head of the health division at the Hostages Headquarters, stated that these families are under extreme psychological pressure, leading directly to severe physical and emotional health problems. "What we are seeing here is a combination of anxiety, depression, and trauma, which worsen the longer the situation remains unresolved. The families’ health will continue to deteriorate without proper support and the return of all deceased hostages."
Lack of Institutional Recognition and Public Awareness
Despite their exceptional circumstances, the state does not officially recognize the families of deceased hostages as a distinct group with special needs. As a result, there is no formal framework for assistance, leaving them without economic, emotional, or functional support.
The lack of legal recognition means there are no established rights or protections for these families, and the ongoing struggle to receive information and closure only exacerbates their trauma.
This lack of recognition is not only institutional. There has also been a sharp decline in public and media interest in these families following the official declaration of a hostage’s death.
During captivity, the families are at the center of public discourse, but once their loved one is declared deceased, they are often left to cope alone, without adequate support.
The report calls for urgent action by the state to ensure the swift return of all deceased hostages for burial. The prolonged suffering caused by a lack of closure places a moral and humanitarian obligation on the state to return their loved ones to Israel, not only out of respect but also to prevent further emotional and physical deterioration among the families.
One of the most critical issues raised by the report is the absence of official recognition of the families of deceased hostages. The authors urge the government to establish formal recognition, which would grant these families financial assistance, psychological support, and medical care to help them cope with their loss and recovery.
Additionally, the report stresses the need to improve the mechanisms for notifying families and handling intelligence-based information. Many families received notifications about their loved ones without new information or with changing assessments over time, exacerbating their emotional distress.
The state must develop a clear and sensitive protocol for delivering information, avoid disseminating unverified reports, and act with transparency to maintain the families' trust in the system.
The report also underscores the importance of raising public and media awareness to prevent the families of deceased hostages from being forgotten. The Israeli public and media must continue advocating for the return of all deceased hostages and recognize the pain and ongoing need for support among the affected families.