Israeli Women Abducted by Hamas Face Dilemma: Pregnancy and Tough Choices

Defense news ,Israel & Hamas War :- In Gaza, Israeli women held hostage by Hamas terrorists may be grappling with the decision to either keep or terminate their pregnancies resulting from rape, according to recent reports.

Emerging information suggests that numerous captive women, under the control of the Palestinian group Hamas, have experienced a cessation of menstruation. Consequently, the Israeli government is formulating comprehensive plans to address potential unwanted pregnancies among those abducted after Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel, as reported by local news outlet Walla!.

The Israeli Ministry of Welfare and Health is exploring ways to extend support to these women, contemplating options that deviate from the usual formalities and regulations. In Israel, the process of abortion typically involves a pregnancy termination committee, which assesses and decides on abortion requests. However, in light of allegations of pregnancies resulting from captivity by Hamas militants, Israeli authorities are considering streamlining the process to minimize bureaucracy for pregnant former hostages.

Data indicates that over 130 Israeli hostages, including teenage girls and women, remain captive under Hamas. This number escalated after the temporary truce and prisoner-hostage swap deal between Israel and Hamas expired in November, following extensions facilitated by Qatari and Egyptian authorities.

Collaborating with the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), Israeli civilian authorities are devising a program to coordinate resources for the treatment of sexually abused hostages. This initiative encompasses financial and psychological support to help these individuals cope with the trauma inflicted by Hamas.

In a session in the Israeli Parliament (Knesset) on Tuesday, a former hostage held by Hamas revealed that some younger female hostages have ceased menstruating. Expressing concerns, the ex-hostage, aged 49, emphasized the fear that these women might not be released for several more months, making it potentially too late to terminate pregnancies.

These apprehensions echo a series of distressing accounts from former hostages, suggesting a prevalence of sexual violence in Gaza, where the captives are believed to be held. In response, Hamas has denied allegations of sexual abuse of Israeli captives by its gunmen.