Hamas has released a horrifying video of Israeli hostage Evyatar David digging his own grave in Gaza. In the video, which was released by the Palestinian militant group on Saturday, a physically weak David could be seen using a shovel to dig his own grave in an underground tunnel.
The 24-year-old was kidnapped by Hamas during the October 7 attacks in Southern Israel. He is among the 49 Israeli nationals who are still believed to be held hostage by Hamas in Gaza.
"What I'm doing now is digging my own grave. Every day, my body becomes weaker and weaker. I'm walking directly to my grave," David, who could barely speak, said in Hebrew. "There is the grave where I am going to be buried in. Time is running out to be released and be able to sleep in my bed with my family."
David's family's emotional appeal to Israeli govt
The 24-year-old's family on Saturday made an emotional appeal to the Israeli government and the world community to do "everything possible" to save David. Condemning the video, his family has said that David is being deliberately starved by Hamas as a part of its "propaganda campaign".
"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," his family said in a statement, as reported by the BBC.
Netanyahu speaks to David's family
On Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to the families of David and another hostage Rom Braslavski, his office said, adding that he has expressed "profound shock over the materials distributed by the terror organizations Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad".
In a series of 'X' posts, his office said Netanyahu told the families of David and Braslavski that his government is doing everything possible to bring all hostages back. He said that Hamas is also starving the citizens of the Gaza Strip, and preventing them from receiving any aid.
"The cruelty of Hamas has no boundaries. While the State of Israel is allowing the entry of humanitarian aid to the residents of Gaza, the terrorists of Hamas are deliberately starving our hostages and document them in a cynical and evil manner," his office quoted Netanyahu as saying. "The entire world must take a stand in a clear message against the criminal Nazi abuse perpetrated by the Hamas terror organization."
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