A report from Israel's Ministry of Health reveals that Hamas tortured hostages in Gaza, including minors.

Hostages held in Gaza were subjected to torture, including sexual and psychological abuse, starvation, burns, and a lack of medical care.

This was reported by RBK-Ukraine citing Reuters.

A new report from the Israeli Ministry of Health, which will be presented to the UN this week, is based on interviews with medical and social groups who treated over 100 Israeli and foreign hostages. Most of them were released at the end of November 2023 during a brief ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Eight hostages were rescued by Israeli military forces.

According to the report, there were more than 30 children and teenagers among the hostages. Some were bound, beaten, or branded with a hot object.

Meanwhile, women reported sexual violence by their captors, including at gunpoint. Men, on the other hand, were beaten, starved, branded, kept bound in isolation, and denied access to toilets. Some were refused treatment for injuries and illnesses.

The report does not disclose the names and ages of the hostages to protect their privacy, but some descriptions match those provided by the hostages and the personnel who treated them.

Hamas has repeatedly denied the abuse of the 251 hostages taken from Israel during its attack on October 7, 2023. Israeli authorities believe that about half of the 100 hostages still held in Gaza are alive.

Reuters reminds us that in recent weeks, there has been a renewed effort to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, including a deal for the release of hostages, although no breakthrough has been reported yet.

The agency also noted that the war began with Hamas's attack in October 2023, which, according to Israeli authorities, resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people, most of whom were civilians.

It is worth noting that on Wednesday, December 26, it became known that Hamas and Israel accuse each other of delaying the ceasefire. The parties exchanged accusations, despite progress in recent days.