Hostage families and demonstrators from the Women's Protest group blocked the Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv on Sunday morning, demanding the immediate release of their loved ones held by terror groups in Gaza, following the harrowing footage showing hostage Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski in grave physical condition.
Israel Police arrived at the scene and, after 20 minutes of blocking the highway, demonstrators were cleared and given fines.
Among the participants were Shai Moses, nephew of returned hostage Gadi Moses, and Maor Rozenberg, a relative of hostage Arbel Yehud.
The Women’s Protest group said in a statement, “It is impossible to breathe when looking at the images of Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski, who are being abandoned under the watch of this cruel government. Bring them all back - those still alive and those who have been killed - and end this war already.”
The video of Evyatar David, which was cleared for publication by his family on Saturday, shows the 23-year-old speaking directly to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, detailing the lack of food he has received and displaying a hand-drawn calendar that chronicles days without sustenance since July 1.
In the closing frames of the video, David is seen digging what appears to be his own grave inside a tunnel in Gaza, as Hamas terrorists explain that he grows weaker each day and could die at any moment.
The footage has drawn public outrage and renewed calls for decisive action.
On Saturday evening, families of hostages held a rally at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, marking 666 days since their loved ones were taken captive by the Gaza terror organization during the October 7 massacre. David’s siblings, Yaela and Ilay, addressed the crowd with an emotional plea.
Evyatar David's siblings call on leaders, international community to free their brother and remaining hostages
“Evyatar loves good food, working out at the gym, and has the most beautiful, contagious smile in the world,” they said. “Last night, we saw our brother deliberately and cynically starved in a dungeon in Gaza. Hamas used our Evyatar as a live experiment in a disgusting hunger campaign.”
They called on Israeli leaders and the international community to ensure their brother and other hostages receive immediate nutritional and medical treatment.
“We call on the government of Israel, the people of Israel, the nations of the world, and the president of the United States to do everything possible to save Evyatar and Guy—and all the other living hostages—from death,” they said. “The Israeli and Jewish voice must echo this across the world. ‘Never again’ is today.”
Netanyahu spoke with the families of Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski on Saturday evening. According to a statement from his office, Netanyahu said he was “shocked” by the footage and reiterated that efforts to bring the hostages home were continuing.
“Hamas’s cruelty knows no bounds,” he said. “While the State of Israel allows humanitarian aid into Gaza, Hamas terrorists deliberately starve our hostages and film them in a cynical, cruel manner. They are also intentionally starving Gaza’s residents and blocking aid from reaching them, while spreading false propaganda against Israel.”
Netanyahu urged the international community to condemn the “criminal, Nazi-like abuse” perpetrated by Hamas.