Israeli medical and psychological teams have been preparing for months for treating released hostages

In anticipation for the release of potentially dozens of surviving hostages, the various hospitals in Israel are making preparations to receive them. While no one yet knows how many of them will actually arrive or what their medical condition will be, hospitals are in peak preparation mode to deal with a host of potential challenges. 

Alongside the preparations in the general medical community, significant preparations are also being made in the psychiatric systems for the treatment and accompaniment, throughout their recovery process, of the hostages who will be released. The mental health experts are preparing to treat the issues of trauma and sexual abuse. 

The Welfare and Social Affairs Ministry has conducted repeated briefings for social workers to prepare them to receive and support the hostages once they return. 

When the hostages come to the hospitals, they will have a medical and psychological evaluation. Also, upon their release from the hospital, each hostage will be assigned a social worker to help support them. 

Dr. Marina Kopchik, Chairperson of the Israeli Psychiatric Association, said Wednesday morning, “We are waiting for all the hostages to return home. All the psychiatric teams attached to the general hospitals are in a state of full preparedness. We do not know the mental condition of the individuals who are expected to be released in the deal, but it is clear that the work in mental health is not a quick fix. Rehabilitation and mental treatment will be very long, but we will accompany them and provide the necessary support for each individual who will need it.” 

Based on the previous hostage release in late November of 2023, and based on the testimonies of returned hostages, the government has set up a system to help the hostages to return safely to Israel and begin a recovery and treatment process. 

According to officials, the social workers who will be working with the hostages have already been selected and given detailed files about the hostages. 

The Welfare and Social Affairs Ministry said that "we see the care and rehabilitation of the hostages and their families as a national mission and a professional commitment of the highest priority, and we have been preparing over the past year for their return, relying on the accumulated experience from previous hostage receptions. Our professional teams, including social workers and treatment personnel, are ready to ensure the best possible support.”

The planned return operation will include an accurate determination of the number of hostages who will be released at each stage, their identity, and their medical condition before they reach Israeli territory. 

One of the main challenges in the return process is ensuring the safety of the hostages as they are transferred inside the Gaza Strip. In the previous release, mass gatherings of Gazan residents posed a risk to the hostages. 

The International Red Cross will be responsible for transporting the hostages from a meeting point in Gaza until their transport to Israeli territory. 

At the Israeli border, they will be greeted by Shin Bet and IDF personnel, who will verify their identity and conduct an initial questioning in an attempt to gather relevant information about other hostages as well as an initial physical and psychological evaluation. 

Emergency medical services will also be waiting at the border to provide any necessary urgent treatment. 

After this initial meeting, the hostages will be flown to hospitals, where medical teams and social workers will be waiting to receive them and conduct a more thorough medical examination. Only after that will the long-awaited meeting with the family members be allowed. 

The security establishment is also preparing for a variety of possible scenarios in order to make sure the released hostages can be returned safely home. 

Along with preparing to receive the hostages, the Israeli government, through the Israel Prison Service (IPS), is also preparing for the release and transfer of security prisoners to the release point. 

The government is currently not releasing the names of any of the prisoners to be released for security reasons, and so as not to endanger the hostage release.