Hamas Releases Video of Emaciated Israeli Hostage Evyatar David Digging Own Grave

Hamas recently released a video showing an emaciated Israeli hostage, Evyatar David, who is believed to be near death, being forced to dig his own grave in a tunnel.

The Details: In the video, 24-year-old David is seen in a tunnel marking off dates on a calendar and digging a hole. He states that he has not eaten for several days and shows a can of beans, his ration for two days. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Western leaders have condemned Hamas's treatment of David.

For Context: David is one of approximately 20 hostages the US believes to still be alive following the October 7, 2023 terror attack by Hamas on southern Israel and was taken hostage at the Nova music festival. Earlier this week, Netanyahu reportedly decided Israel will fully occupy Gaza, sparking controversy within Israel and abroad. Also, earlier this week, 600 former Israeli security and intelligence officials wrote to US President Donald Trump to pressure Israel to end the war in Gaza immediately.

Key Quotes: Evyatar’s brother Ilya told BBC (Center bias), “He's a human skeleton. He was being starved to the point where he can be dead at any moment, and he suffers a great deal. He barely can't speak, he barely can move.” US special envoy Steve Witkoff told Israeli hostages’ families in Tel Aviv on Saturday that he had no news of progress in ceasefire talks and said, “I hear your frustration. But the situation is complicated. There are many reasons that I cannot detail.” Witkoff added that the war’s end was “very close” and, “We have a plan to … bring everyone home.”

How the Media Covered It: The New York Post (Lean Right) opened by calling the video “sick new propaganda” and included many criticisms of Hamas from US officials. NBC News (Lean Left) and BBC both spoke to David’s family and included quotes from them. NBC focused on the dire condition of David but also noted the starvation of Gaza and how many Gazans have been killed since the beginning of Israel’s military campaign. BBC took a similar approach to NBC, but noted reports of starvation “are hard to verify as international journalists, including the BBC, are blocked by Israel from entering Gaza.” It also emphasized that prominent voices within Israel are pushing for a ceasefire.

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