Can you imagine being held captive and forced to starve while the world watches? This nightmare became a tragic reality for 24-year-old Evyatar David, whose recent video release has sent shockwaves through Israel and beyond. On Saturday, an armed wing of the Palestinian militant group Hamas unveiled a disturbing video of David, prompting protests at Tel Aviv's infamous "Hostage Square."

The backdrop of this heart-wrenching scene is the ongoing stalemate in ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas, as Palestinians in Gaza grapple with an escalating starvation crisis. The videos, which emerged from the depths of Hamas’s tunnels, reveal David and fellow Israeli hostage Rom Braslavski in a visibly frail state, stirring a mixture of disbelief and outrage among viewers.

In a haunting 40-second clip, David appears skeletal and weak, trapped in a narrow concrete passageway. The chilling footage is contrasted with images of starving Palestinian children, forcing viewers to confront the tragic consequences of this ongoing conflict.

Reports indicate that David has been forced to dig his own grave by Hamas leaders, a grim testament to the psychological torment inflicted on captives. In the video, he laments his suffering: "This is the grave where I think I am going to be buried," echoing a sentiment of despair as he admits to not having eaten in days. His family, devastated, authorized the release of this harrowing footage, highlighting their anguish at witnessing their son portrayed as a 'living skeleton.'

David’s family, in a statement to the Hostages Families Forum Headquarters, condemned Hamas for their cruel tactics, saying, “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.” They labeled the starvation of their son as part of a sinister propaganda campaign, describing it as one of the most horrifying acts witnessed globally.

Protests erupted in response to the video as thousands flooded into the streets, demanding the immediate release of all hostages taken since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, which ignited an escalated conflict. Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, expressed his shock at the footage, emphasizing the relentless efforts to secure the release of hostages and condemning Hamas for their cruelty. He stated, “The cruelty of Hamas knows no bounds.”

Addressing the issue of starvation, Netanyahu argued that while Israel allows humanitarian aid into Gaza, Hamas terrorists are deliberately starving their captives to manipulate public perception and further their propaganda narrative. This disturbing situation continues to raise questions about the ethics of warfare and the plight of innocent lives caught in the crossfire.