Israel PM says in 'profound shock' over hostage videos
Over the past few days, Hamas and its ally Islamic Jihad have released three videos showing two hostages seized during the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that triggered the ongoing war in Gaza.
The images of Rom Braslavski and Evyatar David have sparked strong reactions among Israelis, fuelling renewed calls to reach a truce and hostage release deal without delay.
A statement from Netanyahu's office late Saturday said he had spoken with the families of the two hostages and "expressed profound shock over the materials distributed by the terror organisations".
Netanyahu "told the families that the efforts to return all our hostages are ongoing", the statement added.
Earlier in the day, tens of thousands of people had rallied in the coastal hub of Tel Aviv to urge Netanyahu's government to secure the release of the remaining captives.
In the clips shared by the Palestinian Islamist groups, 21-year-old Braslavski, a German-Israeli dual national, and 24-year-old David both appear weak and malnourished.
There was particular outrage in Israel over images of David who appeared to be digging what he said in the staged video was his own grave.
The videos make references to the dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza, where UN-mandated experts have warned a "famine is unfolding".
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the images "are appalling and expose the barbarity of Hamas", calling for the release of "all hostages... immediately and unconditionally".
- 'Hamas must disarm' -
Kallas said in the same post on X that "Hamas must disarm and end its rule in Gaza" -- demands endorsed earlier this week by Arab countries, including key mediators Qatar and Egypt.
She added that "large-scale humanitarian aid must be allowed to reach those in need".
Israel has heavily restricted the entry of aid into Gaza, which was already under blockade for 15 years before the war began.
UN agencies, aid groups and analysts say that much of the trickle of food aid that Israel allows in is looted by gangs or diverted in chaotic circumstances rather than reaching those most in need.
Many desperate Palestinians are left to risk their lives under fire seeking what aid is distributed through controlled channels.
On Sunday, Gaza's civil defence agency said Israeli fire killed nine Palestinians who were waiting to collect food rations from a site operated by the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
Israeli attacks elsewhere killed another 10 people on Sunday, said civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal.
- 'Emaciated and desperate' -
Israeli newspapers dedicated their front pages on Sunday to the plight of the hostages, with Maariv decrying "hell in Gaza" and Yedioth Ahronoth showing a "malnourished, emaciated and desperate" David.
Left-leaning Haaretz declared that "Netanyahu is in no rush" to rescue the captives, echoing claims by critics that the longtime leader has prolonged the war for his own political survival.
In his conversations with Braslavski and David's families on Saturday, Netanyahu accused Hamas of "deliberately starving our hostages", and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said he was "initiating a special UN Security Council meeting on the issue of the Israeli hostages".
Braslavski and David are among the 49 hostages taken during Hamas's 2023 attack who are still being held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead.
Most of the 251 hostages seized in the attack have been released during two short-lived truces in the war, some in exchange for Palestinians in Israeli custody.
- Red Crescent says HQ hit -
Hamas's 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to a tally based on official figures.
Israel's campaign in Gaza has killed at least 60,430 people, also mostly civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory's health ministry, deemed reliable by the UN.
The Palestine Red Crescent Society said in a post on X early Sunday that one of its staff members was killed and three others wounded in an Israeli attack on its Khan Yunis headquarters, in southern Gaza.
There was no comment from Israel. Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties accessing many areas mean AFP cannot independently verify tolls and details provided by the civil defence and other parties.
Overnight from Saturday to Sunday, Israel's military said it had "most likely intercepted" a rocket launched from southern Gaza.
Meanwhile, in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, firebrand National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said he had prayed at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, where his repeated visits are seen as a provocation to many Palestinians.
The mosque is Islam's third-holiest site, and is revered by Jews as the Temple Mount, though Jews are barred from praying there under a long-standing convention.
In a video statement recorded during his visit -- Ben Gvir said "the response to Hamas's horror videos" should include Gaza's occupation and plans for the "voluntary emigration" of its people.
Jordan, which acts as the site's custodian, condemned the minister's visit as "an unacceptable provocation, and a reprehensible escalation".
hba/ami/smw
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
31 minutes ago
- The Hill
Former Israeli security officials call to end the war in Gaza as Netanyahu hints at a new stage
JERUSALEM (AP) — Former Israeli army and intelligence chiefs called for an end to the war in Gaza as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted at further military action and Israel's government plotted its next move in the devastated territory. On the ground in Gaza, health officials reported new deaths Tuesday of Palestinians seeking food at distribution points. The Israeli defense body coordinating aid to Gaza announced a new deal with local merchants to improve aid deliveries as desperation mounts. The former security officials speaking out included those who led Israel's Shin Bet internal security service, Mossad spy agency and the Israeli military. In a roughly three-minute video posted to social media this week, they demanded an end to the war and said the far-right members of the government are holding the country 'hostage' in prolonging the conflict. 'This is leading the state of Israel to the loss of its security and its identity,' Ami Ayalon, former head of Shin Bet, said in the footage. Yoram Cohen, former head of Shin Bet, called Netanyahu's objectives 'a fantasy.' 'If anyone imagines that we can reach every terrorist and every pit and every weapon and in parallel bring our hostages home — I think it is impossible,' he said. Next stage of the war Netanyahu, meanwhile, announced Monday that he would convene his Security Cabinet in the coming days to direct the army on the next stage of the war, hinting that even tougher military action was an option in Gaza. Netanyahu said he remained committed to achieving his war objectives, including defeating Hamas, releasing all hostages and ensuring Gaza never again threatens Israel. Israeli media said the meeting was expected Tuesday, with disagreements between Netanyahu and the army chief, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, on how to proceed. The reports, citing anonymous officials in Netanyahu's office, said the prime minister was pushing the army, which already controls about three quarters of Gaza, to conquer the entire territory, a step that could endanger the hostages, deepen the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and further isolate Israel internationally. Various reports have said Zamir opposes this step and could step down or be pushed out if it is approved. Aid through local merchants Several hundred Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since May while heading toward food distribution sites, airdropped parcels and aid convoys in the Gaza Strip, according to witnesses, local health officials and the United Nations human rights office. The Israeli military says it only has fired warning shots and disputes the toll. The Israeli defense body in charge of coordinating aid to Gaza, called COGAT, wrote on social platform X that there will be a 'gradual and controlled renewal of the entry of goods through the private sector in Gaza.' 'This aims to increase the volume of aid entering the Gaza Strip, while reducing reliance on aid collection by the U.N. and international organizations,' it said Tuesday. A limited number of local merchants were approved for the plan and will sell basic food products, baby food, fruits and vegetables and hygiene supplies through bank transfers, COGAT said. 'Stained with humiliation and blood' Thousands of Palestinians crowded against aid trucks entering the Gaza Strip through the southern Morag corridor Monday attempting to get whatever food they could during a protracted food shortage across the enclave. Mohammed Qassas from Khan Younis in southern Gaza said his children are so hungry that he is forced to storm aid trucks. 'I have young children, how am I supposed to feed them? No one has mercy. This resembles the end of the world,' he said. 'If we fight, we get the food. If we don't fight, we don't get anything.' As the trucks drove away, men climbed onto them, scrambling for any remaining scraps. 'The conditions are very challenging and we are hoping for a system to be in place,' Qassas said. 'Some people go home with some 200 kilograms (441 pounds), and others go home with only one kilogram (35 ounces). It is a mafia-like system.' After relentless efforts to get food from the trucks, it has become a routine for men to be seen coming back carrying flour sacks on their back, as well as carrying wounded and dead bodies from near the aid sites. Yusif Abu Mor from Khan Younis said the trucks' aid system is akin to a death trap. 'This aid is stained with humiliation and blood,' he said, adding that aid seekers run the risk of being killed by shootings or run over by aid trucks surrounded by crowds of hungry Palestinians. Slide toward famine Israel's blockade and military offensive have made it nearly impossible to safely deliver aid, contributing to the territory's slide toward famine nearly 22 months into the war with Hamas. Aid groups say Israel's week-old measures to allow more aid in are far from sufficient. Families of hostages in Gaza fear starvation affects them too, but blame Hamas. As international alarm has mounted, several countries have airdropped aid over Gaza. The U.N. and aid groups call such drops costly and dangerous for residents, and say they deliver far less aid than trucks.
San Francisco Chronicle
31 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Letters: Being called ‘Jew' offends me. Should it be banned? Who gets to decide?
Regarding 'Trump wants to 'Make Indians Great Again' — by bringing back slurs to a school gymnasium near you' (Open Forum, July 28): Who determines what's offensive? A Washington Post op-ed says 'Jew' is fine, and the Chronicle uses it commonly. I'm Jewish, and I find that offensive. I was called 'that Jew boy' growing up. Is it OK for people of color to use the N-word all the time? Roosevelt Drive may be offensive to Japanese Americans because they had family members who were imprisoned under President Franklin D. Roosevelt's order during World War II. There are so many names offensive to one person and not another. Where does it stop? Maybe just give everything a digital address. James Sandler, Pleasanton Defend higher education By structuring success for immigrants, low-income youth and other underrepresented young people, universities help to build an educated populace. What do all of us have to gain from investment in forward thinking like this? Hopeful, engaged and skillful people in our communities. The institutions and programs now under attack are those that build the capacity of students while spreading affirmative energy into all our lives. When young people in our community achieve and thrive, we are all uplifted and enriched. Shirl Buss, San Rafael Stop the blame game Unfortunately, many of them declare Hamas responsible for Israel's war tactics. Could Hamas really end Israel's siege by releasing the hostages or by surrendering power? Maybe. Maybe Ukraine could end Russia's invasion by severing its alliances with the West. Maybe if Israel had ceased its decades of occupation and violence against Palestinians before 2023, Hamas would not have initiated the Oct. 7 attack. True or not, this kind of victim-blaming is unseemly. We should hold perpetrators of violence — including U.S. and Israeli leaders — responsible for their own actions. Jewish groups blaming Hamas for Israel's campaign of mass murder only succeed in making Jews look grotesque. Harry Chomsky, Albany Tariffs don't add up Let's do the math. U.S. imports of goods in 2024 were $3.3 trillion. A 15% overall tariff would bring in $495 billion. U.S. consumers will pay this tab, not corporations. There were 340 million people in the U.S. in 2024. That's $1,455 per person. The tariffs are a tax on consumers. Low-wage earners spend all their income on goods and services. The investor class spends a small portion of their income on goods and services. Who then benefits the most? Think about it. Barry Shiller, San Francisco Rethink MAGA support Regarding 'Why S.F.'s Democratic sheriff endorsed a MAGA supporter for California governor' (Joe Garofoli, Aug. 1): Perhaps San Francisco Sheriff Paul Miyamoto should take a good look in the mirror. He and I are subject to being detained and relocated under the Trump administration, just as his Japanese American ancestors were during World War II. Vickie Downey, Corning Group won't capitulate The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists announced Aug. 1 that it would no longer accept any federal dollars to support its programs because of the Trump administration's policies, particularly those regarding diversity, equity and inclusiveness. According to the group, DEI is integral to its mission. I am so proud that my professional organization has taken this stand. I hope that other professional organizations will be brave enough to follow its lead.
NBC News
32 minutes ago
- NBC News
Israel's Netanyahu expected to push for plan to 'occupy' Gaza
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to push to "occupy all of the Gaza Strip" as ceasefire talks with Hamas founder and the hunger crisis in the besieged Palestinian enclave spirals. A bid by Netanyahu to occupy all of Gaza would follow similar calls from members of his far-right government upon whom his fragile coalition relies, and could mark a significant shift in policy since Israel withdrew from the territory in 2005. Officials from Netanyahu's office said in a statement shared with NBC News on Monday night that the Israeli leader had decided to "occupyall of the Gaza Strip, including areas where hostages may be held." The statement was shared in Hebrew and the term used can be translated to mean both "occupy" and "conquer." Netanyahu's office did not immediately respond to a request for clarification on the intended definition, but Israeli media, including The Times of Israel, reported that Netanyahu intended to "fully occupy" the enclave. Israeli media reported that Netanyahu would hold a limited security meeting on Tuesday to discuss the future of Israel's campaign in Gaza. Netanyahu had said Monday he planned to convene the security cabinet this week to "instruct" the Israeli military on how to achieve the three war objectives laid out at the start of Israel's offensive in Gaza: defeating Hamas, seeing the release of hostages who remain held in the enclave and removing the threat of possible future attacks. Asked to confirm if the meeting would take place Tuesday, his office did not respond directly and referred NBC News to his comments Monday. While the Hamas-led attacks of Oct. 7, 2023 that left 1,200 dead and saw 250 taken hostages garnered worldwide sympathy for Israel, the country's actions in the territory have since sparked widespread international outrage. The U.S. remains the biggest supplier of arms to Israel, with American spending on Israel's military operations reaching more than $17.9 billion from Oct. 7 last year to Sept. 30, according to Brown University's Costs of War Project. There has been growing global alarm over Israel's actions in the enclave amid a hunger crisis caused by the offensive and strict restrictions on the entry of aid, marked by mounting deaths from starvation. The 'worst-case scenario of famine ' is unfolding in the Gaza Strip under Israel's assault, the world's leading body on hunger said last week. Meanwhile, most of its residents have been driven from their homes and more than 60,900 killed, including thousands of children, according to local health officials. Nearly 190 people in Gaza, including at least 94 children, have died from malnutrition since the war began, according to the Palestinian health ministry in Gaza. There is mounting opposition to the war among Israelis. Many have long despaired over the fate of of the estimated 20 living hostages remaining in Gaza, and recent protests have expressed outrage over the children dying from malnutrition. Fears for the hostages were also fueled after Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad released imagery in recent days showing visibly gaunt Israeli hostages Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski. Earlier this month, a group representing hundreds of retired Israeli security officials that calls itself the Commanders for Israel's Security's leadership addressed a letter to President Donald Trump calling on him to pressure Israel to end the war. In the letter, which was confirmed to NBC News, the group said it was their professional judgment that Hamas no longer posed a strategic threat — and that it was time to 'end the war, return the hostages' and 'stop the suffering.' While the reoccupation of Gaza is largely unpopular with the Israeli public, it is supported on the far right. Over the weekend, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called for Israel to "conquer" Gaza to and to encourage Palestinians to leave the enclave. Ben-Gvir drew condemnation not only for his comments, but also for leading a group of worshippers in prayer at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, known to Jews as Temple Mount, violating a decades-old agreement allowing Jews to visit to Jerusalem's most sensitive holy site but not to worship there. Ben-Gvir has repeatedly called for Israel to "conquer" Gaza, and called for rebuilding of Israeli settlements there alongside other right-wing ministers, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. Israel captured the Gaza Strip, then occupied by Egypt, after the 1967 war, but withdrew settlers — some of them forcefully — in 2005. In 2006, residents elected Islamist militant and political group Hamas in legislative elections, precipitating clashes with more secular Palestinian faction of Fatah. Hamas seized full control of the enclave in 2007.
