Hope Amidst the Images of History Repeating Itself

Seeing is not only believing but also…feeling. For the first time since Oct.7, a group of American legislators from 3 states in New England recently experienced a first-hand look at how Sheba receives the returning hostages and how/where the mass media tells their stories to the world-at-large. The positive feedback from this bi-partisan group was instantaneous as they, like most of America, had no clue as to how a major hospital deals with such a sensitive operation.

The timing was also impeccable as days later, they and the rest of the world were shocked to see the horrifying images of Eli Sharabi, Or Levy and Ohad Ben Ami, as they were whisked from the hellholes of Gaza to Sheba and another hospital in metro Tel Aviv by helicopter.

It goes without saying that each time Sheba receives returning hostages, the special medical team that tends to them, is literally rewriting the medical book. No other hospital in the world at this juncture is treating the increasing numbers of hostages (nearly 50) who have returned from different periods of incarceration, where they were exposed to torture, starvation and god knows what else.

While the world has seen their commendable defiance and resilience, our doctors and mental health professionals are tasked with treating a myriad of maladies that will take time to heal.

The doctors can treat the physical symptoms but the emotional scars will be a herculean task for both psychologists and their loved ones to deal with.

We can only pray and hope that all of the remaining hostages are returned home before it is too late.