Family sues Cyprus hotel, claiming delayed care could have saved Israeli guest

The family of Eliane Ostreich, a 71-year-old from Holon, has filed a lawsuit in Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court against the company that operates the luxury Cyprus hotel “The Secret Forest” and its owners. Ostreich died about a year and a half ago while vacationing there in December 2024, after suffering severe breathing distress and collapsing in her room.

According to the claim, her friends tried to get urgent medical help, but found the reception desk unmanned and said there was no trained staff, no basic medical equipment, and no emergency procedure available. The family says an ambulance was called only after a long delay, and the emergency team arrived only after Ostreich had already shown no signs of life.

The suit also alleges that the hotel advertised safety rules, including limits on time spent in hot pools and a requirement for a medical certificate, but did not actually enforce those rules or monitor guests properly. A medical opinion attached to the filing says there was a causal link between the delay in treatment and the fatal outcome, and that proper treatment in real time could have prevented her death or at least significantly prolonged her life.

Attorney Nir Yislovitz, representing the plaintiffs, said it was a “difficult and shocking case” involving an Israeli citizen who became a medical emergency victim while on holiday. He said the complaint describes “a series of serious failures,” including no immediate response, no trained staff, and no basic emergency equipment, and argued that such cases require full legal scrutiny. The lawsuit was filed in Israel, in part because the hotel markets itself to Israelis, the booking was made from Israel, and the injured parties, witnesses, and family are Israeli citizens and residents.

The hotel’s management expressed deep sorrow for Ostreich’s death and said it had supported the family and friends since the incident. It rejected the allegations, saying the front desk is staffed 24 hours a day, a complete first-aid kit and working defibrillator were available, and staff immediately alerted management and called an ambulance under the Cyprus tourism ministry’s emergency protocol. Citing official medical documents, the hotel said the cause of death was cardiopulmonary failure on the background of a chronic medical condition, and insisted the tragedy was unrelated to the property’s facilities or staff response.