Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered “appropriate action” to be taken after three hostages released on Saturday morning were freed severely malnourished.
He was visiting US officials in Washington at the time of the three hostages’ release.
Or Levy, Eli Sharabi, and Ohad Ben Ami have lost about 30% of their overall weight, according to a preliminary medical examination that was reported to Tel Aviv’s Sourasky Medical Center and Sheba Medical Center, which are set to treat them.
Leaders and ambassadors from around the world must look at the harrowing images of Or, Eli, and Ohad, who returned to Israel today and understand that we will not stop until we bring everyone home and eliminate the Hamas monsters. No declarations or resolutions will stand in… pic.twitter.com/IIblBMCrHf
— Danny Danon דני דנון (@dannydanon) February 8, 2025
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum compared the images from Saturday’s release to those from Nazi death camps, stating, “The horrifying images of Ohad, Eli, and Or reveal the devastating toll of 491 days in Hamas captivity. These are men who have endured hell itself. This is a crime against humanity.
“These disturbing images show the entire world the desperate reality facing every hostage still held in Gaza. These images evoke the horrifying pictures from the liberation of the camps in 1945, the darkest chapter of our history.”
The forum said, “A second stage of the hostage deal must be implemented immediately.”
President Isaac Herzog said the severe weight loss and serious conditions of released hostages is a “crime against humanity” in an X/Twitter post on Saturday.
“The whole world must look directly at Ohad, Or, and Eli – returning after 491 days of hell, starved, emaciated – being exploited in a cynical and cruel spectacle by vile murderers,” he continued. “We take solace in the fact that they are being returned alive to the arms of their loved ones.”
The president noted the imperative of completing the hostage deal, saying it’s a “humanitarian, moral, and Jewish duty.”
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar stressed to his international counterparts worldwide on Saturday the severity of the crimes Hamas committed against the hostages they’ve held captive.
“For over a year, the entire international community has danced to the false sound of the so-called ‘starvation’ propaganda in Gaza.
“But the pictures don’t lie: The Hamas terrorists and the Gaza residents look great. The Israeli hostages look like Holocaust survivors and are the only ones in the photos who appear to have clearly suffered from starvation.
“Hamas committed crimes against humanity on kidnapped civilians,” he continued. “The Hamas-Nazi evil must be eradicated.”
Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon called on world leaders to take notice of the “harrowing images” of the hostages released from Hamas captivity Saturday, after 16 months in Gaza.
“Leaders and ambassadors from around the world must look at the harrowing images of Or, Eli, and Ohad, who returned to Israel today, and understand that we will not stop until we bring everyone home and eliminate the Hamas monsters. No declarations or resolutions will stand in our way,” Danon said on X.
Former national security minister MK Itamar Ben-Gvir described the situation as a “Holocaust” and insisted actions were needed to encourage voluntary emigration.
Culture and Sport Minister Miki Zohar stated that while what’s important is that Or, Eli, and Ohad have made it home, “Whoever caused them this terrible suffering will pay.”
“We will empty Gaza of terrorists and exact the price down to the last one,” he said.
Lapid clashes with Netanyahu
Opposition leader MK Yair Lapid accused Netanyahu of not taking the conditions of the hostages seriously while they were in captivity.
“Did you now discover that the hostages’ conditions are serious?” Lapid asked. “Didn’t you know before? Because it was written in the intelligence documents placed on your desk in recent months. You have seen these reports just like I have.”
The PMO stated, “In light of the dire condition of the three hostages and the repeated violations by Hamas, Prime Minister Netanyahu has instructed not to overlook this and to take appropriate action.”
Lapid responded, “What does it help them now that you ‘ordered to take action?’ And if there are actions, why didn’t you order them earlier?”
The Democrats leader Yair Golan said on X in response to the released hostages’ conditions, “We don’t have a moment to waste. They don’t have time. Every additional day in captivity is a death sentence. Every hour of delay is life-threatening.
“And while they are fighting for their lives, Netanyahu, his wife, and son continue to spend time in luxury hotels. While our brothers and sisters are dying in Hamas captivity, this government of lawlessness lies, abandons, and leads us to another national disaster.”
He continued, “They have no solution, they have no way, they don’t even have a real desire to bring everyone back. Because for them, time is just a political game for the sake of survival and fulfilling messianic delusions. For us – time is life and death. For us, it’s hope and love for the country.”