In a chilling act of psychological warfare, Hamas released new footage of 25‑year‑old hostage Evyatar David—held captive since the Nova music festival massacre—after 655 days in captivity.
Tel Aviv — In a harrowing reminder of the human toll of Hamas terrorism, the group released a new video this Friday showing a sign of life from Evyatar David, an Israeli hostage abducted 655 days ago during the Nova music festival massacre in Re’im.
The footage—described by officials as psychological terrorism—was made public only with the explicit consent of David’s family. His relatives, still fighting for his release, appealed to the public and media to respect their wishes regarding the circulation of the images.
From Celebration to Captivity
Evyatar, 25, from Kfar Saba, was attending the Nova festival with his lifelong friend Guy (Gilboa) Dalal when Hamas launched its deadly October 7 assault. They were also joined by friends Idan Haramati and Ron Sarfaty, who were both murdered in the attack.
On the morning of the massacre, Evyatar phoned his mother to tell her about the rocket fire overhead. Hours later, a Hamas propaganda video surfaced on Telegram showing him lying on the floor, visibly terrified, blinded by a flashlight. It was the last confirmed sighting until February, when a previous hostage video briefly showed him alongside Guy Dalal during a Hamas‑staged “release ceremony” for other captives.
A Musician, a Son, a Brother
Evyatar is a gifted musician, skilled in both acoustic and classical guitar. He is the beloved son of Galia and Avishai, and the middle sibling between Eli (26) and Ye’ela (18). Friends describe him as gentle, creative, and deeply connected to his family.
Cruel Manipulation
Last February, Hamas cynically paraded Evyatar and Guy at the site of another hostage handover—allowing them to witness, but not join, the release of fellow captives Omar Wenkert, Omar Shem Tov, and Eliya Cohen. This latest video appears to follow the same manipulative pattern, designed to torment families and pressure Israeli society.
An Ongoing Nightmare
Evyatar’s captivity has now stretched into nearly two years, making him one of the longest‑held hostages from the October 7 attacks. Israeli officials and hostage advocacy groups condemned the release as yet another example of Hamas’s calculated psychological warfare.
His family continues to plead for international pressure on Hamas to release all remaining hostages—insisting that time is running out.
