Two Israeli hostages forced to watch companions being released before returned to captivity

The Hamas terror organization released a video on Saturday, showing Israeli hostages Evyatar David and Guy Gilboa-Dalal, watching their friends from captivity being released, while sitting in a vehicle parked just meters away from the stage where the release ceremony was taking place. 

In another cruel propaganda video, Hamas forced the two to come and watch the ceremony from inside the vehicles. Evyatar and Guy are childhood friends who were both abducted from the Nova festival on Oct. 7, 2023. As part of the Hamas propaganda, the two, who learned to speak Arabic during their captivity, were required 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, the father of Guy Gilboa-Dalal, who approved the release of the Hamas video, told Channel 12 News, “They were forced to watch their friends be released and 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 half years ago. The last contact the family had with him was the morning of Oct. 7, when he called his mother to say there was rocket fire from Gaza. Later that day, the family also saw a video of him laying 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 fear in his eyes. 

“We were horrified by the cynical use they are making of our child,” David 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. 

“His expressions express distress, but he sounds vital when he speaks, he is well ‘staged’," Galia said about his speech in the video. 

Both families authorized the release of the video to Israeli press, in the hopes that it could push the government to continue the hostage-ceasefire deal.