Emaciated Hostage's Voice Was So Weak In Hamas Video Dad Couldn't Recognize Him, His Brother Says

TEL AVIV — When Hamas released a video of Evyatar David, he looked truthful frail and emaciated that their begetter did not admit his voice, nan Israeli hostage’s relative said Monday.

David, now 24, was partying astatine nan Nova euphony festival successful confederate Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, erstwhile militants kidnapped him and 250 others nationwide during their sweeping, violent onslaught that saw 1,200 killed.

Hamas prompted further international outcry this weekend erstwhile it posted footage of a markedly frail David alongside that of starving Palestinians — suffering from chronic nutrient shortages nether Israel’s subject cognition and intensified blockade — successful what his family sees arsenic an effort to usage him arsenic a propaganda tool.

Evyatar David.Courtesy Jonathan Guttman

“It breaks my parents’ hearts,” his older brother, Ilay David, 28, connected Monday told NBC News successful Tel Aviv astir Galia and Avishay David.

He said he can’t bring himself to watch nan video, but his family has likened his brother’s beingness information to images from nan Holocaust. “It looks for illustration pictures we each cognize from history people 80 years ago,” said Ilay David, who earlier nan onslaught worked arsenic a younker counsellor but now is focused afloat clip connected bringing his relative home.

The hostages were “being kept successful a near-death situation,” Ilay David said, adding that his relative “can hardly speak” and he was truthful anemic that their begetter couldn’t admit his voice.

He added that his relative “needs aesculapian attraction correct now, and if I americium not capable to speak astir him, advocator for him, he whitethorn not survive.”

The wide starvation now playing retired successful Gaza has killed astatine slightest 170 people, 90 of them children, according to nan Palestinian Health Ministry. There are astir 20 hostages believed still live aft almost 3 years successful captivity, according nan latest Israeli tally.

From left, Ilay David, Evyatar David, their parents Galia and Avishay David, and sister, Ye'ela David.Family photo

Among them is David, who his relative described arsenic a “brilliant guitar player” pinch nan “kindest psyche I know.” Ilay David added. “I emotion him and he’s my champion friend.”

Ilay David said retired aft President Donald Trump’s envoy to nan Middle East, Steve Witkoff, met pinch families of nan hostages Saturday and emphasized nan administration’s committedness to returning those still wrong Gaza.

Benjamin Netanyahu besides said “at length” pinch David’s family Saturday night, expressing “deep shock” astatine nan recordings released by Hamas, nan Israeli premier minister’s agency said successful a statement. He blamed Hamas for “deliberately starving” hostages and Palestinians by “preventing them from receiving aid.”

Almost 61,000 group person been killed since nan commencement of Israel's subject campaign, according to Palestinian wellness officials. Recent world outcry astir wide malnutrition successful nan enclave has prompted Israel to region fighting and fto immoderate assistance successful — but assistance agencies opportunity it’s not enough.

David’s relative blamed nan panic group for utilizing “him cynically successful their ain starvation campaign,” and calling it nan “peak of cruelty.”

Ilay David said they are “worse than al Qaeda” and “worse than ISIS,” 2 of nan awesome violent groups that person brought misery to nan Middle East successful caller decades.

David “still has faith, still has hope, that’s what holds him sure,” his relative said. “When he comes backmost — not if he comes backmost — we’re going to return attraction of him, support him and he will beryllium greater than before.”

Matt Bradley reported from Tel Aviv and Alexander Smith from London.