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Evyatar David's family condemns Hamas video of emaciated Israeli hostage | Evyatar David's family condemns Hamas video of emaciated Israeli hostage |
(about 13 hours later) | |
Ilay David holds a poster of his brother Evyatar David, who is held hostage in Gaza, in November 2023 | Ilay David holds a poster of his brother Evyatar David, who is held hostage in Gaza, in November 2023 |
The family of Israeli hostage Evyatar David held by Hamas in Gaza has accused the group of deliberately starving him as part of a "propaganda campaign". | The family of Israeli hostage Evyatar David held by Hamas in Gaza has accused the group of deliberately starving him as part of a "propaganda campaign". |
The family statement on Saturday came a day after Hamas released a video showing an emaciated Mr David in a narrow concrete tunnel. | |
Mr David, 24, has been in captivity since his seizure by Hamas at a music festival in southern Israel on 7 October 2023. | |
"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," the family statement added. | "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," the family statement added. |
The hostage's family also urged the Israeli government and the world community to do "everything possible to save Evyatar". | The hostage's family also urged the Israeli government and the world community to do "everything possible to save Evyatar". |
In the video released by Hamas, Mr David is heard saying "I haven't eaten for days... I barely got drinking water" and is seen digging what he says will be his own grave. | |
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had spoken to the families of Mr David and another hostage, Rom Braslavski, on Saturday. | |
US envoy Steve Witkoff also met with families of some hostages on Saturday. | |
In the evening, thousands turned out at a demonstration in Tel Aviv in support of their release. | |
During its attack on Israel nearly two years ago, Hamas seized 251 hostages. | |
Mr David is one of 49 hostages who Israel says are still being held in Gaza. This includes 27 hostages who are believed to be dead. | |
A still showing Israeli hostage Evyatar David being held in a Gaza tunnel from the video released by Hamas | A still showing Israeli hostage Evyatar David being held in a Gaza tunnel from the video released by Hamas |
Israel has been accused by aid agencies of pushing Gaza towards famine by weaponising food in its war against Hamas - an allegation it denies. | Israel has been accused by aid agencies of pushing Gaza towards famine by weaponising food in its war against Hamas - an allegation it denies. |
Israel has said there is "no starvation" and it is not imposing restrictions on aid entering Gaza - claims rejected by its close allies in Europe, the UN and other agencies active in the Strip. | Israel has said there is "no starvation" and it is not imposing restrictions on aid entering Gaza - claims rejected by its close allies in Europe, the UN and other agencies active in the Strip. |
On Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it was "continuing the series of actions aimed at improving the humanitarian response in the Gaza Strip". | On Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it was "continuing the series of actions aimed at improving the humanitarian response in the Gaza Strip". |
It said that 90 aid packages containing food for residents in southern and northern Gaza had been airdropped in the past few hours as part of co-operation between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Egypt, France and Germany. | It said that 90 aid packages containing food for residents in southern and northern Gaza had been airdropped in the past few hours as part of co-operation between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Egypt, France and Germany. |
Meanwhile, the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry said seven more people, including a child, died of malnutrition in the territory on Saturday. | |
The health ministry said the total number of malnutrition deaths since the start of the war has reached 169, including 93 children. | The health ministry said the total number of malnutrition deaths since the start of the war has reached 169, including 93 children. |
Also on Saturday in Gaza, the health ministry said at least 83 had been killed and 1,079 injured as a result of Israel's military offensive in the past 24 hours. | Also on Saturday in Gaza, the health ministry said at least 83 had been killed and 1,079 injured as a result of Israel's military offensive in the past 24 hours. |
Al-Awda Hospital in Nuseirat told the BBC it had received the bodies of three people killed by Israeli forces near an aid distribution point on Salah al-Din street, south of the Wadi Gaza area in central Gaza, run by the US and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). The hospital said at least 36 people were injured. | Al-Awda Hospital in Nuseirat told the BBC it had received the bodies of three people killed by Israeli forces near an aid distribution point on Salah al-Din street, south of the Wadi Gaza area in central Gaza, run by the US and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). The hospital said at least 36 people were injured. |
The IDF said its troops "fired warning shots" hundreds of metres away from the aid distribution site, and not during its operating hours, after a crowd did not comply with their calls not to advance towards them "in a manner that posed a threat". | The IDF said its troops "fired warning shots" hundreds of metres away from the aid distribution site, and not during its operating hours, after a crowd did not comply with their calls not to advance towards them "in a manner that posed a threat". |
"The IDF is not aware of any casualties as a result of the warning shots, and the details of the incident are still being examined," it said. | "The IDF is not aware of any casualties as a result of the warning shots, and the details of the incident are still being examined," it said. |
GHF said there was "nothing at or near our sites today". | GHF said there was "nothing at or near our sites today". |
International journalists, including the BBC, are blocked by Israel from entering Gaza independently, making it difficult to verify claims. | International journalists, including the BBC, are blocked by Israel from entering Gaza independently, making it difficult to verify claims. |
Israel imposed a total blockade of aid deliveries to Gaza at the start of March and resumed its military offensive against Hamas two weeks later, collapsing a two-month ceasefire. It said it wanted to put pressure on the group to release its remaining Israeli hostages. | Israel imposed a total blockade of aid deliveries to Gaza at the start of March and resumed its military offensive against Hamas two weeks later, collapsing a two-month ceasefire. It said it wanted to put pressure on the group to release its remaining Israeli hostages. |
The blockade was partially eased after 11 weeks amid warnings of a looming famine from global experts, but shortages of food, medicine and fuel remain, aid agencies have said. | The blockade was partially eased after 11 weeks amid warnings of a looming famine from global experts, but shortages of food, medicine and fuel remain, aid agencies have said. |
Israel launched its offensive in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed. | Israel launched its offensive in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed. |
The Hamas-run health authorities say 60,430 people have been killed as a result of the Israeli military campaign. | The Hamas-run health authorities say 60,430 people have been killed as a result of the Israeli military campaign. |