Second Hostage Video Surfaces in 24 Hours
On Friday night, Hamas released a video of hostage Evyatar David, showing the young Israeli in distress. His family, however, has requested that the footage not be shared publicly yet. Just a day before, another terror group, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, published a separate hostage video of Rom Braslavski. Rom’s sister described the experience as deeply painful, asking people to respect their privacy and not spread the footage online.
This latest release is more than just a proof of life. According to analysts, Hamas is using it as part of what’s being called a “starvation campaign” a psychological tactic meant to pressure Israel by exposing the dire conditions of the hostages. A spokesperson for the group claimed, “They eat what we eat. It’s the occupation government that chose to starve them.” The statement attempts to shift blame while amplifying the emotional impact of the footage.
Abducted from the Nova Music Festival
Evyatar David, now 22, was kidnapped during the Nova Music Festival in Re’im, southern Israel. He had stayed behind with his friend, Guy Gilboa-Dalal, trying to help the wounded. In February, the pair appeared in a propaganda video, watching other hostages being released while they remained in captivity. In that video, both Evyatar and Guy pleaded with Israeli and US leaders to secure their freedom.
Evyatar’s brother said after the February footage that he looked “half the man he was,” appearing starved and mentally broken. Released hostages later confirmed the pair was held in harsh underground tunnels, where conditions were brutal and abuse was routine.
Mental and Physical Abuse in Captivity
According to former hostage Tal Shoham, the tunnels were rigged with explosives, and guards showed no mercy. He said the captives were filmed constantly and abused without pause. Shoham added that Evyatar and Guy reached a breaking point. Guy once went a full week without speaking a word.
Before his abduction, Evyatar was a kind-hearted soul who loved music. He played both guitar and piano and was admired for his emotional insight and calm nature, his mother shared with the media.
