Israeli physicians concerned with the health of the more than 150 abducted and missing Israelis aged nine months to 90 years old held by Hamas terrorists in Gaza say they need urgent medical care and treatments.
The doctors who call themselves the Hostages and Missing Families Forum and is headed by Prof. Hagai Levine – chairman of the Israel Association for Public Health Physicians – has sent a list of the illnesses they suffer from and what lifesaving medications they urgently need to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Geneva.
“Many of the abducted and missing civilians are in life-threatening conditions and in urgent need to treatment and lifesaving medication or injuries. Based on initial and partial intake from their families, many of them need immediate humanitarian intervention due to their medical conditions including cancers, Parkinson’s disease, cardiovascular diseases, heart failure, and type-2 diabetes,” the document says.
“There are also many wounded – whose limbs have been amputated or raped by terrorists – or patients with special needs such as autism, dementia. They are prone to immediate death as they are not receiving essential medications and treatment. They are at risk for severe complications, and they undergo unimaginable suffering. They need urgent care by medical teams. In addition, they are all under mental stress that can worsen diseases in a population of infants, children, elderly and people with chronic conditions,” the forum wrote.
A detailed database of over 150 people – Israelis and dozens of foreigners – was sent on October 14th to ICRC contact person, with an update later. This is not the complete number of people, they wrote.
These are the diseases suffered by the hostages and missing so far: malignant diseases, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, type-2 diabetes, stroke, autistic spectrum disorder, autoimmune disease (including inflammatory bowel diseases, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, and rheumatoid arthritis), asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, hypertension, cardiac arrhythmia, allergic conditions, glaucoma, and psychiatric disorders.
Some of the victims were wounded when abducted and need immediate care.
Among diabetes medication ( insulin, metformin, SGLT2 inhibitors); hypertension and heart medication (ACE inhibitors, ARBs, beta blockers, SGLT2 inhibitors, statins); anticoagulants (warfarin, apixaban); antiplatelets (aspirin, clopidogrel); asthma and COPD inhalers, biologic medications (adalimumab, IVIG); immune suppressants (methotrexate, mycophenolate); cancer drugs (tamoxifen, pegfilgastrim); Parkinson’s medication (levodopa); urinary medications (alpha blockers, antimuscarinic); psychiatric medications (antidepressant, antipsychotics and sedatives); antihistamines; eye drops for glaucoma; and medical nutrition (Ensure, Peptamen). In addition, there is a need for baby formula.
The document lists examples of captives’ needs:
A one-year-old baby who relies only on food formula and need immediate aid supply of food and essential baby materials.
A five-year-old, a 13-year-old girl, and a 16-year-old boy with autism who need special assistance.
A 23-year-old woman with gunshot wounds who has had no medical attention.
A 27-year-old woman with Crohn’s disease requiring biological treatment and medical nutrition treatment on risk of disease worsening.
A man with severe autoimmune disease requiring biologics treatment in hospital, on risk of disease worsening and death.
A 60-year-old man with multiple sclerosis who cannot walk independently.
An 85-year-old woman with heart failure, kidney disease, asthma, cardiac arrhythmia with risk of developing blood clotting, fluid retention and death.
An elderly woman with Parkinson, dementia, underweight on risk of disease worsening and death needs adult diapers.
The Israel Pediatrics Association has also called on the International Red Cross to take immediate action to gain the immediate release of the captive babies, toddlers and children and all the abductees in Gaza. “All international treaties require its immediate intervention and humanitarian aid. No baby, child or abductee of any must be left without contact with the International Red Cross and without immediate medical attention,” the association declared.
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