In the aftermath of the Hamas attack, Israeli experts have made some grim revelations. After scrutinizing footage and statements, they've announced the unfortunate demise of several hostages taken during the incident. Hagar Misrahi, commission head from the Israeli Ministry of Health, spoke about the process on Israeli radio channel Kan.
This is a daunting task, carried out with utmost care and diligence. In this unique circumstance, an individual can be declared deceased without a medical autopsy, offering grieving families an opportunity to mourn if resurrection hopes fade away. Since the ceasefire ended on October 7, the authorities have officially declared seven casualties – six civilians and a colonel, all in captivity.
To establish the truth, videos of the Hamas raid on October 7 are meticulously examined. These videos, shockingly shared by the radical Islamists themselves on the Web, are merged with footage from Palestinians who were witnesses, as well as images from surveillance cameras. This arduous process involves dissecting each clip maneuver by maneuver, looking for signs of catastrophic injuries or lifeless bodies.
When making such decisions, it's essential to achieve unanimity within the team, basing the decision on the entire context. Misrahi's team has had to grapple with the agony of possibly making mistakes, a lesson learned from the case of an abducted girl. Her father received the heartbreaking news of her passing during the Hamas attack, only for his daughter to return home safely after the ceasefire.
With around 108 hostages released during the temporary ceasefire and Hamas claiming dozens of deaths, hundreds of lives hang in the balance. The Israeli military has recovered the bodies of a soldier and two civilians, while one female soldier was freed. Misrahi's team is accommodating each family according to their personal circumstances, whether it's mourning right away or waiting for the official return of their loved ones.
