Opening summary: Netanyahu meets hostage families over video release
Benjamin Netanyahu has spoken with relatives of two hostages held in Gaza seen in videos released by Palestinian militant groups, expressing his “profound shock” over the images, the Israeli prime minister’s office said.
Since Thursday, Hamas and its ally Islamic Jihad have released three clips showing two hostages taken during the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel that triggered the ongoing war in Gaza.
The images of Rom Braslavski and Evyatar David, looking emaciated after nearly 22 months of captivity, have sparked strong reactions among Israelis, fuelling renewed calls to reach a truce and hostage release deal without delay.
“The prime minister expressed profound shock over the materials distributed by the terror organisations Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and told the families that the efforts to return all our hostages are ongoing, and will continue constantly and relentlessly,” said a statement from Netanyahu’s office released late Saturday.
In the footage, 21-year-old Braslavski, a German-Israeli dual national, and 24-year-old David both appear weak and malnourished.
The videos make references to the dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza, where UN-mandated experts have warned a “famine is unfolding”.
In other developments:
Stay with us as we follow the developments.
Key events
Six dead in past 24 hours due to famine, Palestinian Health Ministry says
The Palestinian Health Ministry have reported on Telegram that six adults have died within the past 24 hours as a result of famine and severe malnutrition.
According to the ministry, this brings the total number of deaths attributed to hunger related causes in Gaza to 175, including 93 children.
Videos published recently by Hamas and Islamic Jihad showing emaciated Israeli hostages are “appalling” and barbaric, EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas has said.
“The images of Israeli hostages are appalling and expose the barbarity of Hamas. All hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally. Hamas must disarm and end its rule in Gaza,” Kallas posted on X.
“At the same time, large-scale humanitarian aid must be allowed to reach those in need,” she said.
Far right Israeli minister of national security Itamar Ben-Gvir calls for ‘conquering all of Gaza’
Israel’s far right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem on Sunday and said he prayed there, challenging rules covering one of the most sensitive sites in the Middle East.
Under a delicate decades-old “status quo” arrangement with Muslim authorities, the al-Aqsa compound is administered by a Jordanian religious foundation and Jews can visit but may not pray there.
In a post on X, Ben-Gvir renewed calls for Israel to declare sovereignty over Gaza and for Palestinians to leave the territory.
“A message must be sent: to ensure that we conquer all of the Gaza Strip, declare sovereignty … take down every Hamas member, and encourage voluntary migration,” he said.
Ben-Gvir claimed this is the only way to “bring back the hostages and win the war.”
Opening summary: Netanyahu meets hostage families over video release
Benjamin Netanyahu has spoken with relatives of two hostages held in Gaza seen in videos released by Palestinian militant groups, expressing his “profound shock” over the images, the Israeli prime minister’s office said.
Since Thursday, Hamas and its ally Islamic Jihad have released three clips showing two hostages taken during the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel that triggered the ongoing war in Gaza.
The images of Rom Braslavski and Evyatar David, looking emaciated after nearly 22 months of captivity, have sparked strong reactions among Israelis, fuelling renewed calls to reach a truce and hostage release deal without delay.
“The prime minister expressed profound shock over the materials distributed by the terror organisations Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and told the families that the efforts to return all our hostages are ongoing, and will continue constantly and relentlessly,” said a statement from Netanyahu’s office released late Saturday.
In the footage, 21-year-old Braslavski, a German-Israeli dual national, and 24-year-old David both appear weak and malnourished.
The videos make references to the dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza, where UN-mandated experts have warned a “famine is unfolding”.
In other developments:
Stay with us as we follow the developments.
