Security

'Nazi-Like Abuse': Hostage Videos Spark Global Condemnation of Hamas

Disturbing videos of Israeli hostages released by Hamas have sparked global outrage and condemnation from Israel, the EU, and France. The footage has fueled angry protests in Israel, highlighting domestic reactions amid stalled ceasefire talks.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (AP)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (AP)
Middle East Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Israeli hostages Israel-Hamas conflict

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The release of deeply disturbing video footage by Hamas and Islamic Jihad showing two Israeli hostages appearing starved and exhausted has ignited a wave of international condemnation, with top European officials and the Israeli Prime Minister decrying the “Nazi-like” cruelty, while simultaneously fueling angry protests within Israel and exposing sharp political divisions over the government's handling of the crisis.

The two video clips, released since Thursday, show hostages Rom Braslavsky and Evyatar David looking tired and hungry while digging in the ground. The footage has sparked widespread outrage and intensified calls within Israel for a deal to be reached as soon as possible to release the approximately fifty hostages still being held in the Gaza Strip.

In a statement posted on the social media platform X on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu detailed a conversation he held with the families of the two men. “I spoke at length this evening with the families of the hostages Rom Braslavsky and Aviatar David. I expressed to them my deep shock at the harsh footage published by the Hamas terror organization,” he wrote.

The Prime Minister stated he told the families in the “clearest way” that “we are continuing the effort to bring back all the hostages, relentlessly, with determination, and without tire.” He also conveyed a “big embrace” on behalf of his wife, Sara, whom he said was “heartbroken over the harsh and incomprehensible videos that were published.”

Netanyahu sharply condemned Hamas, stating, “The cruelty of Hamas knows no bounds.” He contrasted Israel’s actions with those of the armed group, writing, “While the State of Israel allows the entry of humanitarian aid to the residents of Gaza, Hamas terrorists deliberately starve our hostages, documenting them in a cynical, humiliating, and malicious manner. They also deliberately starve the residents of the Strip. They prevent aid from reaching them, and then lie to the world and conduct a false propaganda campaign against Israel.”

He concluded with an appeal to the international community: “I call on all the countries of the world – stand against this Nazi-like abuse. Do not stand by. This is a moral test.”

Israel's National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, also responded to the release of "horrific" hostage videos by Hamas on Sunday by issuing a sweeping call for the complete conquest and declaration of Israeli sovereignty over the entire Gaza Strip, coupled with the "voluntary migration" of its population, in a statement delivered from the highly sensitive Temple Mount.

The far-right minister framed this hardline approach as the only viable path to securing the return of the remaining Israeli hostages and achieving victory in the war.

In a statement posted on the social media platform X, Ben Gvir addressed the footage released by Hamas, stating, "The horrific videos of Hamas come against the backdrop of one thing – their attempt to create pressure on the State of Israel."

Choosing a location laden with deep religious and political significance, the minister explicitly linked his presence at the contested holy site to his proposed policy for Gaza. "And I say precisely from here, from the Temple Mount, in the place where we have proven that sovereignty and governance are possible – precisely from here, a message must be sent," he wrote.

From this symbolic vantage point, the National Security Minister outlined a comprehensive four-point plan for the future of the Gaza Strip. The message that must be sent, he detailed, is "to ensure that we conquer all of the Gaza Strip, declare sovereignty over the entire Gaza Strip, take down every Hamas member, and encourage voluntary migration."

Ben Gvir directly connected the implementation of this maximalist strategy to the resolution of the hostage crisis and the broader conflict. He concluded his statement by asserting that this is the exclusive formula for success.

"Only in this way will we bring back the hostages and win the war," the minister stated.

Echoing the condemnation from European capitals, Kaja Kallas, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, described the footage as appalling. “The images of Israeli hostages are appalling and expose the barbarity of Hamas,” she wrote on X on Sunday. Kallas called for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and stated, “Hamas must disarm and end its rule in Gaza.” She also added, “At the same time, large-scale humanitarian aid must be allowed to reach those in need.”

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot also issued a sharp rebuke. “Despicable, unbearable images of Israeli hostages held for 666 days in Gaza by Hamas,” he wrote on X. “Their ordeal must end. They must be released, without condition. Hamas must be disarmed and excluded from the governance of Gaza. Humanitarian aid must enter there massively.”

The release of the videos has had a significant impact inside Israel, leading to an eruption of outrage and anger. Thousands of people gathered in Hostages Square in Tel Aviv to demand government action.

The incident has also cast a harsh spotlight on the deep political fissures within Israel, reflected in the nation's media. The right-wing newspaper Israel Hayom wrote, "Hamas's brutality knows no bounds," aligning with the government's messaging. In contrast, the left-wing newspaper Haaretz offered a critical perspective on the Prime Minister's approach, stating, "Netanyahu is in no hurry" to rescue the hostages.

The video releases come at a critical and sensitive time, as ceasefire negotiations have been suspended and Palestinians in Gaza are facing a widespread hunger crisis. Of the fifty hostages believed to be held in the Gaza Strip, it is suspected that at least 20 are still alive.

 

Updated at 02:00 PM, adding statement by Israel's National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir.

 
 
Dr. Kamaran Aziz ,
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