The plight of two Israeli hostages, Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski, has sparked fresh outrage and global concern after videos showing them in a severely weakened state were released by their captors — Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).
David, 24, abducted during the October 7, 2023 Nova music festival massacre, appears gaunt and frail in the footage, speaking from what appears to be a Hamas tunnel. In a chilling moment, he’s seen digging what he fears may be his own grave, pleading for a ceasefire and food. His family condemned Hamas for “deliberately starving” him for propaganda, saying, “Our son has only a few days left.”
Braslavski, 21, also kidnapped during the festival while helping others escape, appears pale and motionless in a separate PIJ video. The group now claims it has lost contact with the cell holding him.
Israel accuses Hamas of weaponizing hunger, while Hamas insists hostages are fed the same as fighters amid the severe food crisis in Gaza. Israel denies causing starvation, though aid groups and UN agencies warn that famine is imminent, with over 175 deaths from malnutrition already reported.
Western nations — including the US, UK, France, and Germany — condemned the videos. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after speaking with the hostages’ families, reaffirmed efforts to bring them home. He also urged the Red Cross to be granted access, but Hamas demands an end to Israeli airstrikes during aid transfers before cooperating.
Ceasefire talks remain stalled. Families and protesters continue to rally in Tel Aviv, repeating one urgent plea:
“Everyone must get out of hell, now.”