Brother of freed hostage: Eating is difficult after captivity, large portions cause pain

“It’s hard for him to eat a lot; it weighs on his stomach,” revealed Gilboa-Dalal’s brother.

The brother of freed hostage Guy Gilboa-Dalal said Sunday that Guy is struggling to eat after nearly two years in captivity, describing stomach pain when he tries to eat more than small portions and recounting abuse he survived in Gaza.

Speaking on Channel 12’s morning show, Hadshot HaBoker, Gal Gilboa-Dalal said: “Kashe lo le’echol harbé, mechbid lo al habeten,” “It’s hard for him to eat a lot; it weighs on his stomach.” He added that his brother is sharing more about the hardships he endured as he slowly returns to routine.

New Hebrew reports this week have also detailed the coercive conditions Guy described after his return. In one interview, he said he was starved alongside fellow hostage Evyatar David so they would look skeletal in propaganda footage filmed by Hamas, a tactic families say was used to break morale.

On Saturday, Guy’s father told Israeli media that his son is being treated for multiple infections and has partial hearing loss, but expressed confidence that, “slowly, with a lot of love,” he will recover.

Gilboa-Dalal was among 20 living hostages who returned to Israel last week. All were taken for medical and psychological evaluation and reunited with their families.