Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza were fed drugs to keep them docile, including Valium and ketamine, according to doctors who have been treating the traumatized former hostages since their return to Israel in the past several weeks.

Children were said to be a particular focus of the kidnappers.

“They wanted to control the kids, and sometimes it’s difficult to control young children, adolescents. And they know that if they drug them they will be quiet,” said Renana Eitan, a psychiatrist at a Tel Aviv hospital who has been treating returnees.

“One of the girls was given ketamine for a few weeks,” Eitan told The Times of Israel newspaper. A powerful anesthetic, ketamine has also become a popular recreational drug in recent years for the sense of detachment it gives users.

[They can’t kill enough of these savages. ~ Beege]