The daughter of a critically ill Israeli hostage who was freed and taken straight to the hospital is slamming the International Committee of the Red Cross, saying that the organization did nothing to help her mother during seven weeks in Hamas captivity.
As the Jerusalem Post reported, Elma Avraham, 84, was rushed to the hospital as soon as she was released on Sunday night:
Released hostage Elma Avraham, 84 years old, was returned from Hamas captivity in serious, life-threatening condition, Soroka Medical Center confirmed on Sunday night.
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The hospital’s director gave a statement on Sunday night. Dr. Shlomi Kodesh said that it was evident from the hostage’s condition upon release that she was not cared for by her Hamas captives.
Her daughter, Tali Amano, said that the Red Cross did nothing, even when the family brought it their mother’s medications.
BEERSHEBA, ISRAEL – NOVEMBER 27: Tali Amano, the daughter of released hostage, Elma Avraham, speaks during a press conference at Soroka hospital on November 27, 2023 in Beersheba, Israel. Elma Avraham was released from captivity in Gaza yesterday as part of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. Her family says she remains in serious medical condition. (Photo by Amir Levy/Getty Images)
The Times of Israel reported:
Avraham’s children blasted the Red Cross for refusing to try to bring lifesaving medications to their mother during the 51 days she was held hostage by Hamas terrorists.
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“We waited for our mother for 52 days,” said Tal Amano, Avraham’s daughter. “She is 84. A grandmother. A great-grandmother. She’s a happy, optimistic person. She lived alone at home, she was independent. Yes, she has several medical conditions.”
“They abandoned my mother from a health perspective,” added Amano. “My mother didn’t have to return like this. It was neglect during her entire period there. She didn’t receive her lifesaving medications. She was abandoned twice, once on October 7 and a second time by all the organizations that should have saved her and prevented her condition.”
Israel has criticized the Red Cross for failing to be more assertive in demanding access to Israeli hostages held by Hamas and other terror organizations since the terror attack of October 7, when roughly 240 hostages were taken away to Gaza.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the U.S. have both said the Red Cross will be allowed access to Israeli hostages as part of agreements with Hamas for a pause in exchange for hostage releases, but Hamas and the Red Cross have not confirmed this.
The only role the Red Cross has played has been to transfer the 50 hostages released thus far from Palestinian Hamas custody in Gaza to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in Israel. Red Cross vehicles have been repeatedly harassed by Palestinians on the way.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of the new biography, Rhoda: ‘Comrade Kadalie, You Are Out of Order’. He is also the author of the recent e-book, Neither Free nor Fair: The 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.
