A harrowing Hamas video of hostage Evyatar David’s emaciated condition has unleashed fury from his family, former captives, and Israeli leaders, revealing grim truths about Hamas’s exploitation of both hostages and Gaza civilians.
Tel Aviv — A shocking propaganda video released Friday by the Hamas terror organization has thrust the plight of hostage Evyatar David back into Israel’s conscience — and ignited fresh demands for immediate rescue efforts.
The footage, showing David in a severely deteriorated physical state, was condemned by his family, who did not authorize its release and pleaded with the public not to circulate images from it.
“Anyone who saw the video knows the severity,” wrote Ye’ela David, Evyatar’s sister, on Instagram. “It hit me like a million punches to the stomach… Please don’t publish images until our family decides to release them. My mother and brother haven’t even seen it yet.”
Former Hostages Blow the Whistle
Two Israelis who endured months underground with Evyatar — Omer Wenkert and Tal Shoham — spoke out after watching the footage.
Wenkert, who spent 505 days in Hamas captivity, described the tunnels as “narrow, low, small”, and slammed Hamas’s attempts to intersperse the hostage footage with images of “starving” children.
“It’s one big lie,” Wenkert said. “I lost 37 kilos in captivity. My captors? Not one lost weight — some even gained. The hunger in Gaza is caused by Hamas stealing aid, not by Israel.”
Shoham corroborated the claim, revealing that just meters away from their cell, Hamas terrorists sat behind an iron door feasting on vegetables, meat, fish, and fruit stolen from humanitarian shipments.
Leaders Demand Action
Opposition leader Yair Lapid urged every Israeli minister to watch the video before bed:
“Think of Evyatar trying to survive in a tunnel — and then try to sleep.”
Idit Ohel, mother of hostage Alon Ohel, whose son has lost an eye and is gravely injured, issued an urgent SOS:
“This nightmare must end. Alongside aid to Gaza, life-saving medical care must be given to our hostages — now.”
