Former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant said on Saturday that the deteriorating health of Israeli prisoners in the Gaza Strip had been known to Israel for a long time.

This came against the backdrop of statements made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and ministers in his government, which appeared as if they were surprised to see three prisoners released by Hamas on Saturday in poor health.

Galant said in a post on his account on the "X" platform: "The horrific images that the world was exposed to today show the difficult and worrying situation in which some of the kidnapped are living, and the deterioration in their health, which Israel has known about for a long time."

"This is another call to action on the path we must take to bring back the abductees," he added.

He considered that "the ransom of prisoners is the correct Jewish, humanitarian and moral act."

Galant continued: "This (returning the captives) is the declared goal of the war and the value on which generations of warriors were raised - not to leave any wounded on the battlefield. We will continue to strike at the Hamas organization and settle accounts with the murderers."

He concluded by saying: "I wish a speedy return for all the kidnapped, and I strengthen their families in the hope that they will embrace their loved ones soon."

On November 5, Netanyahu dismissed Galant from his position and appointed Yisrael Katz in his place.

A day later, Galant said in a televised speech that Netanyahu had fired him because of his commitment to "the return of the kidnapped soldiers held by Hamas."

He added at the time: "We must do this quickly and while they are alive. I say that this is achievable, and it is possible to return the kidnapped people with concessions, some of which are painful."

Earlier on Saturday, Hamas released the three Israeli prisoners, Eli Sharabi (54 years old), Ohad Ben Ami (56 years old), and Or Levi (34 years old). They appeared in a state of extreme emaciation and fatigue was evident on their faces during their release from the center of Deir al-Balah in the Gaza Strip earlier on Saturday.

"The shocking scenes we witnessed today will not go unnoticed," Netanyahu said in a statement from his office, while Israeli ministers expressed "shock" at the health condition of the three prisoners.

But opposition leader Yair Lapid wrote on X: "Netanyahu, did you just discover that the situation of the kidnapped soldiers is difficult? Didn't you know before? Because it is written in the intelligence documents that were placed on your desk in recent months. You saw these reports just as I did."

In a related context, the official Israeli Broadcasting Corporation said: "Medical officials expressed their concern about the health of Ohad, Eli and Or, following the reports they are receiving from medical teams on the ground."

"The three kidnapped people who returned today will undergo blood tests to assess their health condition and possibly imaging tests as well - an electrocardiogram or a CT scan," she added.

The Commission continued: "It is estimated that the condition of the abductees who are still in captivity is at least the same as that of those who were returned today."