Hamas forced Israeli hostages to watch companions being released before returning to captivity

The Hamas terrorist organization released a video on Saturday showing Israeli hostages Evyatar David and Guy Gilboa-Dalal watching their fellow captives being released while seated in a vehicle just meters away from the stage where the release ceremony was taking place.

In another propaganda video, Hamas forced the two men to view the ceremony from inside nearby vehicles. David and Gilboa-Dalal are childhood friends who were both abducted from the Nova music festival on Oct. 7, 2023. As part of the Hamas propaganda, the two, who learned to speak Arabic during their captivity, were forced to condemn the war and plead for their release on camera. 

The Hamas video shows the two hostages in a vehicle, watching the release ceremony of Omer Shem Tov, Eliya Cohen, and Omer Wenkert, which took place in the central Gaza neighborhood of Nuseirat. 

Hamas made two hostages beg for their lives, mere meters behind @ICRC vans at yesterday’s hostage release parade.

Hamas wants the world to know it is evil.

Israel wants the world to know Hamas is evil.

On this, we can agree.

pic.twitter.com/kJ7lGmkCNU

— Eylon Levy (@EylonALevy) February 23, 2025

Several times the two cover their faces with their hands and plead, “Please save us.” 

While the video is presented as the natural reaction of the two men to the scene they are witnessing, it is believed the hostages were coached on how to respond and what to say ahead of the filming. 

Ilan Dalal, Guy's father, approved the release of the Hamas video. He told Channel 12 News, “They were forced to watch their friends be released and [then they were] returned to the tunnels. There is nothing more cruel than that. It shows the most urgent need to get them out of there. They can't go through it, it's just inhumane.” 

Regarding his decision to release the video, Dalal said, “There was no hesitation, I immediately gave permission, I wanted them to see and understand the need to get them out. Perhaps those who oppose the deal will change their minds. Let them see what they're going through there.” 

He also said, “This is the best sign of life I could ask for, but on the other hand there’s nothing more cruel.” 

The video was the first sign of life for Evyatar David since his capture nearly one and a half years ago. The last contact the family had with him was on the morning of the Oct. 7 terror attack, when he called his mother to say there was rocket fire from Gaza. Later that day, the family saw a video of him lying on the floor while being bound by a Hamas terrorist. 

Galia David, Evyatar’s mother, told Channel 12 that she watched the recent video, “because I didn't watch the videos of the kidnapping.” 

She said she was afraid to see the fear in his eyes. 

“We were horrified by the cynical use they are making of our child,” Galia said. “He looks frustrated and scared and thin. His body language expresses distress. The eyes are with black circles.” 

“But our son is alive, which is a big thing after 16 months,” she added. “He was frightened and frustrated; it was obvious that he had been staged."

Both families authorized the release of the video to the Israeli press in the hopes that it would push the government to continue negotiations for the next face of the hostage-ceasefire deal.