The U.N. human rights office on Monday described images of both emaciated Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees released as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal as distressing, saying they reflected the dire conditions in which they were held.
The gaunt, pale faces of both hostages and detainees have drawn attention since the latest releases over the weekend, with U.S. President Donald Trump comparing those held in Gaza by Palestinian militant group Hamas to Holocaust survivors.
“The images we have seen of Israeli hostages released over the weekend show signs of ill-treatment and severe malnourishment, reflecting very dire conditions they were subjected to in Gaza,” Thameen Al-Kheetan, U.N. human rights office spokesperson, said in a statement to journalists.
“We are also deeply concerned by the public parading of hostages released by Hamas in Gaza, including statements apparently made under duress during release.”
He referred to Hamas-directed handover ceremonies attended by large crowds in the Gaza Strip in which hostages were flanked by militants armed with automatic rifles.
Al-Kheetan said the appearance of Palestinian detainees pointed to the “severe conditions” in which they were held in Israel. He also voiced serious concern about the manner in which Palestinian detainees had been released, without elaborating.