Hostage Videos Escalate Pressure on Netanyahu Amid Gaza War and Famine Crisis

Harrowing new video footage of emaciated Israeli hostages held in Gaza has intensified public outrage in Israel and increased pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach a ceasefire with Hamas, as the war continues to devastate the coastal territory and push it further into famine.

One video, released by the Islamic Jihad militant group, shows Rom Braslavski, visibly skeletal, crying and stating he can no longer stand due to foot injuries. Another, released by Hamas, features hostage Evyatar David digging his own grave and describing days without food. The Associated Press published brief excerpts of the videos after receiving consent from the families.

Rom’s father, Ofir Braslavski, said his son appeared significantly worse than in a previous video from four months ago. “Now, in the last video, he looks completely turned off, it’s as if he’s waiting for death,” he said. “His eyes are turned off.”

Tens of thousands of Israelis gathered for large-scale protests on Saturday night following the release of the footage, demanding a ceasefire deal and the return of hostages. Rom Braslavski had been working as a security guard at a music festival during the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack that sparked the war.

Netanyahu said Monday that he will convene the Israeli Cabinet this week to discuss the war’s three stated objectives: defeating Hamas, returning the hostages, and ensuring Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel. However, plans to expand military operations face growing domestic opposition, including from security officials and cultural leaders.

International condemnation of the hostage videos has followed. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres was “very shocked” by the footage, which his deputy spokesman described as an “unacceptable violation of human dignity.” The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) also expressed horror and renewed calls for access to the hostages.

Netanyahu said he met with the Red Cross to request that food and medicine be delivered to hostages — a demand that Hamas has historically rejected. However, Hamas stated it is now ready to respond positively to such requests, provided aid corridors are opened permanently in Gaza. The group denied starving hostages, claiming they are suffering the same hunger as civilians. Ofir Braslavski refuted this, saying the captors in the video appear well-fed.

The hostage issue will be raised at an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting on Tuesday. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced he will travel to New York to attend.

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to worsen. Israel fully blocked aid into the territory between early March and mid-May and now faces international criticism despite announcing eased restrictions. Nearly 1,400 Palestinians have been killed while attempting to access aid since May, according to U.N. reports. Most were shot near sites operated by an Israeli-backed U.S. contractor. The Israeli military says it has only used warning fire.

Gaza’s Health Ministry reported Monday that five additional adults died of malnutrition-related causes in the past 24 hours, raising the total adult hunger-related death toll to 87 since late June. In total, 93 children have also died of malnutrition-related causes since the war began.

Israel’s government denies that starvation is occurring in Gaza, despite growing evidence and statements from humanitarian agencies.

The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and abducting 251. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has since killed more than 60,900 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry, though operating under Hamas, is staffed by medical professionals and is considered the most reliable source of casualty data by the U.N. and international experts. Israel disputes the figures but has not provided its own.