Israeli hostages held in Gaza have sparked global condemnation after new footage showed them under extreme duress. The footage, released by Hamas, shows captives Rom Braslavski and Evyatar David, who were abducted during a Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023.
The captives’ families are growing increasingly desperate as negotiations to secure their release stall. Israel’s military operations in Gaza have been criticized for making it difficult to reach the hostages, while Hamas is demanding that the territory’s hunger crisis be addressed before talks can resume.
Western leaders have expressed outrage over the footage, calling for the captives’ unconditional release. The United Nations Security Council is set to hold an emergency session on Tuesday to discuss the hostage crisis, which human rights experts warn could constitute a war crime.
The International Committee of the Red Cross has urged Hamas to allow food and medical supplies to reach the hostages, but Hamas has insisted that Israel must meet certain conditions before cooperating. At least 175 Palestinians have died from starvation or malnutrition since the Israel-Hamas war began, including six people in the past 24 hours.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to continue efforts to release the hostages, but his government’s handling of the crisis has been widely criticized. Hundreds of Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv over the weekend to protest the government’s lack of action to free the captives.
As the situation remains uncertain, international pressure continues to mount on Israel and Hamas to secure a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
Source: https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/08/04/israel-hostages-videos-hamas-gaza-starvation-hunger-crisis