The family of Evyatar David, an Israeli hostage currently held by Hamas in Gaza, has publicly condemned the militant group for allegedly starving him as part of a calculated propaganda effort. Their statement emerged following the release of a video by Hamas, which depicted a visibly emaciated David in a confined concrete tunnel.
Evyatar David, aged 24, was abducted during a music festival in southern Israel on October 7, 2023. In the family’s statement, they expressed anguish at the sight of their loved one, stating, “We are forced to witness our beloved son and brother, Evyatar David, deliberately and cynically starved in Hamas’s tunnels in Gaza – a living skeleton, buried alive.”
Calls for urgent action
The David family has urgently appealed to both the Israeli government and the international community, urging them to take all necessary steps to secure Evyatar’s release. In the video released by Hamas, David is heard claiming, “I haven’t eaten for days… I barely got drinking water,” while he is seen digging a hole he describes as his own grave.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reached out to the families of David and another hostage, Rom Braslavski, to discuss the ongoing situation. Additionally, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff met with the families of various hostages on the same day. Meanwhile, a large demonstration in Tel Aviv drew thousands advocating for the hostages’ release.
Hamas had captured 251 individuals during its assault on Israel nearly two years ago, with David being among the 49 hostages still believed to be held in Gaza. Israel claims that 27 of these individuals are presumed dead.
Humanitarian crisis in Gaza
Amid the ongoing conflict, Israel has faced accusations from aid organizations suggesting that it has exacerbated conditions in Gaza, pushing the region towards famine by manipulating food supplies. However, Israel refutes these allegations, asserting that they are not imposing any restrictions on aid entering Gaza. This claim has been contested by various European allies, the United Nations, and other organizations working within the territory.
On Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that they are continuing measures to enhance the humanitarian response in Gaza. They reported that 90 aid packages containing food supplies had recently been airdropped in cooperation with nations including the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Egypt, France, and Germany.
Meanwhile, the Hamas-run health ministry reported that seven more individuals, including a child, succumbed to malnutrition in Gaza, bringing the total to 169 malnutrition-related deaths since the onset of the conflict, 93 of whom were children. In the past 24 hours alone, at least 83 people have died, and 1,079 have sustained injuries due to Israeli military operations.
Additionally, Al-Awda Hospital in Nuseirat has reported receiving the bodies of three individuals killed by Israeli fire near an aid distribution center. The IDF clarified that its troops had fired warning shots to deter crowds that were approaching in a manner deemed threatening, although they stated that they were unaware of any casualties resulting from these actions.
International journalists, including those from the BBC, face restrictions preventing them from entering Gaza independently, complicating efforts to verify the multitude of claims surrounding the ongoing crisis.
Israel has maintained a complete blockade on aid deliveries to Gaza since early March, which was followed by a military escalation against Hamas just two weeks later, effectively ending a two-month ceasefire. Although the blockade was partially lifted after 11 weeks amidst warnings of a potential famine, significant shortages of essential supplies remain a pressing concern according to various aid organizations.
The escalation of violence began in response to a Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities in Israel. In contrast, Hamas authorities assert that over 60,430 individuals have died due to the Israeli military actions since that date.