Israel Hurdles the Peaks of Trauma

Professor Hagai Levine, chairman of the Israeli Association of Public Health Physicians, is acutely aware that Israel cannot afford the luxury of time when it comes to treating the traumas of October 7 — especially for the hostages being released under the terms of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire. After completing his residency in the IDF Medical Corps, Professor Levine worked at Mt. Sinai and observed and researched the WTC program.

“We cannot wait,” Professor Levine emphasized on a conference call with the foreign press just before Shabbos, two days before the first three hostages — Romi Gonen, 24; Emily Damari, 28; and Doron Steinbrecher, 31 — returned safely to Israeli soil.

Professor Levine urged the Israeli government to immediately establish and fund a rehabilitation center that would care for the hostages and their families — a process he deems necessary to assist them for the rest of their lives.

“Right now, we will focus on their immediate needs,” Professor Levine said, regarding the specialized medical treatment they will receive upon their return to Israel. “They were dehumanized by Hamas. We will strive to restore their humanity, but the process has also been very disruptive to the families.”