A ceasefire deal has finally been agreed and is set to include the phased return of hostages held in Gaza.
But those who have suffered close to 500 days of brutal Hamas captivity will, no doubt, have to deal with the physical and psychological toll of their torment for a long time to come.
Vered Atzmon Meshulam, a medical psychologist and an expert in trauma, grief, and growth from crises, has explained some of the “emotional challenges” that freed hostages and their families may have to negotiate in the coming months.
“The families need to be prepared for very powerful and moving moments that are extremely complex,” said Atzmon, who heads the Resilience Department at disaster response agency ZAKA.
“Each hostage and each family will have a different story,
“At first there will be adrenaline and gradually, the emotional challenges will surface.”
The identities of those returning in the first stage of the deal remain unknown, and some of the individuals being returned are believed to be deceased, with their exact fates still unclear.
But for those returned a live, there is likely to be a long road to recovery.
“After the initial shock and relief, the physical and mental changes will become clear,” Atzmon explained.
In her various roles, including as Minister for Anxiety Awareness, Atzmon accompanied several families of hostages who have been released throughout the war.
She also took part in the identification of bodies of victims of the October 7th, 2023 Hamas massacre and shared that some families have still not come to terms with the death of their loved ones.
“This requires synchronization between the different health care authorities,” Atzmon said. “We need to deal with the trauma and the complexities as close as possible to the return of the hostages because the faster the treatment is given, the chances of recovery and healing are greater.”
“We need meticulous and thorough planning across the different organisations and authorities,” she added.
But she claimed that even the return of the remains of hostages who have died in Gaza will offer some respite for their families.
“Honouring the dead is actually honouring those who are still alive. They get closure so they can move forward with their lives.”
