The Islamist group Hamas last week gave sedatives to some hostages before their release from the Gaza Strip to make them appear more relaxed and happy, a representative of Israel’s Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

The complaint was filed by Dr. Hagar Mizrahi, head of the ministry’s medical department, during a hearing of the Knesset Health Committee.

There are still 138 hostages on the Stripalthough 15 of them are confirmed dead.

The doctor stated that members of the Islamic group administered clonazepam to some hostages before handing them over to Red Cross representatives who evacuated them from the Gaza Strip.

This drug, he added, was allegedly administered to them along with the to make them appear calm, happy and optimistic during their liberation, after more than a month and a half of captivity.

However, Mizrahi did not report whether the use of sedatives had been confirmed by blood tests on the hostages or by testimonies of those released.

The statements come a few days after a weeklong ceasefire between Israel and Hamas ended, with the release of 105 hostages kidnapped by the Palestinian Islamist group and 240 prisoners in Israeli prisons.

Casualties on both sides

Israel declared war on Hamas on October 7, following an attack by the Islamist group that included the launch of more than 4,000 rockets. infiltration of about 3,000 militiamen, who killed about 1,200 people and kidnapped more than 240 in Israeli communities near Gaza.

Israeli forces have since attacked the Palestinian enclave, where nearly 16,000 people have died, in addition to another 7,000 lying under the rubbleThis was reported by the Gaza Ministry of Health.

This war has also left 1.8 million displaced people in the Gaza Strip, 80% of the total population, according to the UN humanitarian agency, OCHA. (JO)