The brother of Israeli hostage Evyatar David has made an emotional appeal for international action to secure his sibling’s release, after the emergence of disturbing videos showing the 24‑year‑old captive emaciated and digging what he said was his own grave.
David is among 251 people seized by Hamas and allied militants during their October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel, the assault that sparked the ongoing war in Gaza. Israeli officials believe that of the 49 hostages still held by Hamas, about 20 are thought to be alive.
Last week, Hamas released new propaganda videos featuring David in a severely weakened state, appearing to dig in the sandy floor of an underground tunnel. “I am preparing my grave,” he is heard saying. Another hostage, Rom Braslavski, was also shown in similar conditions, prompting outrage and fears for their safety both inside Israel and abroad.
“The world must come together now and demand his release. He must be saved!” Ilay David, Evyatar’s brother, told AFP in an interview Tuesday at the family home in Kfar Saba, near Tel Aviv. Red‑and‑black posters bearing Evyatar’s face, the same ones seen on walls and street corners across Israel, cover the living room walls as a constant reminder of his captivity.
Evyatar David has been held for nearly 22 months and has become a symbol of the hostages’ plight. “That was the last sign of life we had from him,” Ilay said, recalling an earlier video released on February 23.
In that footage, Evyatar appeared gaunt, sitting in a vehicle alongside another hostage, forced to watch a staged ceremony marking the release of three other captives during a temporary ceasefire. “We thought then that was the worst possible cruelty. These new images show just how urgent it is to get him out of that tunnel,” Ilay said.
The Israeli government has condemned the videos as psychological warfare and reiterated its vow to bring home all remaining captives. Foreign leaders and rights groups have also denounced Hamas for the treatment of hostages, calling it a clear violation of international humanitarian law.
As pressure mounts, families of the hostages continue to organize demonstrations in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, urging the government to strike a deal for their loved ones’ release. But negotiations, mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, have repeatedly stalled amid continued fighting in Gaza.
For Ilay David, time is running out. “Every hour, every day that passes is unbearable,” he said. “The world cannot look away.”
Written By Rodney Mbua
