Israel prepares for possibility that raped hostages could be impregnated by Hamas 

Israeli physicians are preparing for the devastating possibility that some women being held hostage by Hamas may have been raped and impregnated by their captors.

Specialists and medical centers across Israel are holding internal discussions on how to approach the physical and emotional condition of female hostages who could now be several weeks pregnant following the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas, the Hebrew publication Maariv reported

“I am uncertain how they will cope, but we must prepare now for this terrible theoretical possibility of a woman conceiving or raising such a child. Thus, we must stop this atrocity, not allow the captives to perish there, bring them back, and provide them with care,” Prof. Tal Biron-Shental, the chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Meir Medical Center in Kfar Saba told the outlet.

Depending on the circumstances of conception and the age of the mother, pregnant women in Israel can apply to terminate a pregnancy up until the moment of birth, according to the Ministry of Health.

While early-stage abortions involve expelling the pregnancy using oral medications, a later-term termination requires a higher-risk procedure to stop the fetus’ heart activity with a syringe, Maariv siad.

Without immediate medical attention, women who may have become pregnant while in Hamas captivity face possible medical complications from late-term abortions, as well as the health risks incurred by the immunosuppression that occurs during gestation, the outlet noted.

The victims will also be forced to grapple with the psychological effects of their condition.

 “The task of terminating an advanced pregnancy becomes increasingly complex and challenging as the days in captivity progress,” Prof. Hagai Levine, chairman of Israel’s Association of Public Health Physicians and head of the medical department of the Captives Families Headquarters, told the outlet.

“Stress, polluted environments, and the absence of medical supervision amplify the complications and dangers of pregnancy for the mother, even before considering the appalling psychological aspect,” he continued.

“We have been pressing for a long time with requests to allow medical examinations and the transfer of medications. If there is a captive woman who, God forbid, has conceived from rape, it is imperative to bring her home urgently,” Levine concluded.

Sunday marked 100 days since Oct. 7, when over 200 people were kidnapped from southern Israel by Hamas terrorists and brought to the Gaza Strip, where they were held hostage in the terror group’s maze of underground tunnels.

About 136 hostages are still believed to be held in Gaza, and preliminary investigations indicate that female victims may have been raped both during the initial assault and in captivity.

Last week, sources close to both camps hinted that Israel and Hamas were making progress in talks to deliver medicine to the hostages in Gaza – but the comments did not specifically mention potential prenatal resources.

“The human brain struggles to comprehend the situation of a captive in captivity who must deal not only with the pregnancy but also with the fact that it was conceived through the brutal rape by a murderous terrorist,” Biron-Shental added.

“Performing an abortion is a procedure we are all familiar with and skilled in. However, the primary challenge the state must now address is the horrific and daunting psychological trauma. A pregnant woman, feeling fetal movements and with a visibly growing belly, naturally attaches to the fetus,” he said.