The Israeli Health Ministry issued local hospitals with guidelines for feeding patients suffering from malnutrition as they prepare to admit 50 hostages released by Hamas in the cease-fire deal, according to reports.
Official guidelines address “treating refeeding syndrome in returning captives,” according to Israeli news outlet Ynet, referring to a condition that can be fatal to people who have not eaten properly for extended periods of time and are suddenly introduced to a normal diet.
“Prolonged malnutrition may lead to significant nutritional deficiencies that can adversely affect health and even pose a life-threatening risk,” the guide explained, and broke down the recommended diets based on age group.
Children between one and three years old should be given water, a sweet biscuit, unsweetened applesauce, tea sweetened with a teaspoon of sugar, the guide said.
Adolescents and adults are to be given water, a hot drink sweetened with a tablespoon of sugar, three sweet biscuits, and unsweetened applesauce.
Refeeding syndrome is caused by a sudden shift in fluid, electrolyte, and metabolic intake, according to the National Institutes of Health. Patients who have not been given proper sustenance for a period of ten days are susceptible.
It is unclear what condition the 240 hostages taken by Hamas during their bloody October 7 surprise attack are in.
During their 54 days of captivity, it is believed most have been held prisoner in the elaborate network of tunnels burrowed deep beneath Gaza.
Israel and Hamas agreed to terms for a four-day cease-fire which is expected to begin at 7 a.m. local time (12 a.m. ET). In return for the release of the hostages, Israel will release 150 Palestinian prisoners and send trucks of fuel and humanitarian supplies into Gaza.
The first hostages are due to be handed over at 4 p.m. Friday. Children will be sent to the Schneider Children’s Medical Center, according to Ynet, and adults will be sent to Wolfson, Ichilov, Soroka, and Sheba hospitals.
Families of the hostages requested specific guidance about refeeding syndrome to be sent out to hospitals, Professor Hagai Levin, the head of a medical team assigned to the families of hostages, said.
“[It’s] necessary to maintain a calm approach and not rush to fix everything at once but rather gradually over time and in a proper manner,” Levin said.
“In terms of physical activity, one should act according to the same principles, as well as regarding mental health. In broader aspects, such as dental care, for example, conditions can’t always be addressed adequately in hospitals,” he added.