Outcry In Israel As Hamas Releases Video Of Emaciated Hostage Alongside Starving Palestinian Children

Outcry rang retired successful Israel complete nan play aft Hamas released video appearing to show a visibly gaunt Israeli hostage alongside images of emaciated babies arsenic international fury grows complete the rising deaths of Palestinians from starvation nether Israel's violative and crippling assistance restrictions.

The video, which was undated and which NBC News is not capable to independently verify, appears to show Evyatar David, who was 1 of astir 250 group taken hostage during nan Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023 attacks.

Standing successful an evident passageway shirtless, David, who is 24, according to nan Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents hostage families, appears markedly frail, his ribs and enarthrosis blades protruding done his skin.

The footage was juxtaposed pinch images of mini emaciated children, their bones poking retired from beneath their skin, arsenic nan number of children dying from starvation successful Gaza nether Israel's violative and assistance restrictions continues to rise.

This screengrab from a video released connected August 1, 2025 by nan equipped helping of Palestinian militant group Hamas, shows Israeli hostage Evyatar David, 24, looking anemic and malnourished. Hostages and Missing Families Forum / NBC News

Nearly 170 group successful Gaza — much than 90 of them children — person died from malnutrition since nan warfare began, according to nan Palestinian wellness ministry successful nan enclave, pinch nan decease toll climbing swiftly successful caller weeks.

Speaking astatine a rally successful in Tel Aviv connected Saturday, David's relatives expressed fears he could look nan aforesaid fate, pinch his relative Ilay David calling connected nan Israeli and U.S. governments to "do everything successful your power, by immoderate intends necessary" to unafraid his release, according to statements shared by nan Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

The footage released by Hamas came a time aft different video released Thursday by nan Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group, which is besides holding Israeli hostages, appeared to show Rom Braslavski, who was besides taken captive connected Oct. 7, 2023, besides appearing visibly withered.

President Donald Trump's envoy to nan Middle East Steve Witkoffmet pinch hostage families connected Saturday and emphasized nan Trump administration's committedness to returning nan 50 hostages who stay held successful Gaza, nan Hostages and Missing Families Forum said successful a statement. Of nan 50 who stay held captive, conscionable complete 20 were believed to beryllium live arsenic of precocious June, according to nan Prime Minister's office.

The forum quoted Witkoff arsenic saying: “We cognize who is alive, and personification will beryllium to blasted if they don’t travel retired alive.” NBC News was not capable to independently corroborate nan comment.

The gathering came a time aft Witkoff made a short and extremely uncommon trip into Gaza alongside Mike Huckabee, nan U.S. ambassador to Israel, successful a sojourn condemned by immoderate arsenic a publicity stunt.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also said "at length" pinch nan families of nan 2 men connected Saturday night, expressing "deep shock" astatine nan recordings released by Hamas, according to his office.

In a statement, Netanyahu accused Hamas of "deliberately starving" some hostages and Palestinian civilians successful Gaza by "preventing them from receiving aid."

David's relative likewise accused Hamas of "starving him deliberately" during Saturday's rally.

Israeli authorities person many times accused Hamas of diverting assistance from Palestinian civilians passim nan war. But aggregate assistance groups person said they saw nary signs of assistance diversion, while an soul U.S. authorities analysis recovered nary grounds of systematic theft of assistance supplies by Hamas, according to a study presented to State Department officials and later seen by NBC News. The Israeli subject dismissed nan study arsenic “biased.”

Israel's deadly subject violative and crippling assistance restrictions successful caller months person caused nan spiraling hunger situation successful Gaza, assistance groups, including nan United Nations, person many times said.

Israel launched a blockade that barred nan introduction of assistance into nan enclave in March, successful nan midst of its ceasefire pinch Hamas, earlier lifting it successful May, but still allowing only a trickle of basal supplies into nan territory.

Nine-year-old Mariam Dawwas pinch her mother successful Gaza City connected Saturday.OMAR AL-QATTAA / AFP - Getty Images

Last Sunday, nan Israeli subject said it would pause subject activity in immoderate areas to let much assistance into Gaza arsenic it faced mounting world outrage complete nan spiraling hunger situation successful nan enclave nether its offensive.

Humanitarian organizations have warned that while much assistance has begun to trickle into nan enclave, it is still not astir capable to stave disconnected famine.

The world's starring assemblage connected hunger, nan Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, aliases IPC, said connected Tuesday that nan “worst-case script of famine” was already unfolding nan Palestinian enclave nether Israel’s deadly subject offensive. It noted that its informing was an alert and not a general “famine classification.”

Netanyahu has denied location is starvation successful Gaza, contempt nan IPC’s study and rising deaths from starvation reported by section wellness officials and assistance groups.

Israel launched its violative successful Gaza pursuing nan Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023 attacks successful which immoderate 1,200 group were killed and astir 250 taken hostage, marking a awesome escalation successful a decadeslong conflict.

Since then, much than 60,800 group person been killed successful Gaza, including thousands of children, while thousands much person been injured, according to nan section wellness ministry, and overmuch of nan enclave has been reduced to rubble.

Israel continues to look allegations of genocide successful its battle successful Gaza successful a lawsuit brought earlier nan International Court of Justice, while a increasing number of experts and advocates person also accused nan state of genocidal acts, a complaint some Israel and nan U.S. person rejected.