Israel prepares for possibility that raped hostages could be impregnated by Hamas
By Social Links for Olivia Land
Published Jan. 16, 2024, 12:47 p.m. ET
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 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, 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 said.
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https://nypost.com/2024/01/16/news/israel-prepares-for-possibility-that-raped-hostages-could-be-impregnated-by-hamas/