As Israel mourns the discovery of six murdered hostages in Gaza, new details have surfaced that underscore the grim realities faced by those still in captivity. According to a report from Channel 12 News, the body of Eden Yerushalmi, one of the hostages recently repatriated, weighed a mere 79 pounds (36 kilograms) — a stark 22-pound drop from her pre-abduction weight.

Yerushalmi was kidnapped on October 7 from the Nova music festival, along with others, and taken into Gaza. Her body, along with the remains of five other hostages, was returned to Israel four days ago. This extreme weight loss is a distressing indication of the conditions that the 101 hostages still held in Gaza may be facing.

In a video released by Hamas just before her death, Yerushalmi was seen speaking to her family, delivering a heartbreaking message: “I want to speak to my dear family, whom I love so much and miss – Mom, Dad, Shani, and May. I love you so much and I miss you.” Her family authorized the release of part of this footage, offering a glimpse into her final moments.

On Wednesday, the IDF released footage of the tunnel shaft where the bodies of Yerushalmi, along with Carmel Gat, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, and Staff Sergeant Ori Danino, were found. Disturbingly, nearby murals of cartoon characters and dolls were discovered, suggesting the proximity of a children’s play area, adding another layer of horror to the already harrowing scene.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)