European leaders condemn 'sickening' Hamas videos of Israeli hostages in Gaza

Western leaders have expressed outrage over recently released videos showing two Israeli hostages in Gaza appearing emaciated and distressed, with growing pressure on both Hamas and Israel to allow urgent humanitarian access.

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy condemned the footage as "sickening," saying, “images of hostages being paraded for propaganda are sickening,” and reiterated the UK’s call for their “unconditional” release. 

French President Emmanuel Macron called the videos a reflection of Hamas’ “abject cruelty,” and stressed that France continues to fight for their release, a ceasefire and increased humanitarian access. 

"The absolute priority for France is the immediate release of all the hostages," Macron said.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he was “appalled” and reiterated that the release of all hostages must precede any ceasefire agreement. "Israel will not reciprocate Hamas' cynicism and must continue to provide humanitarian aid," Merz added.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, who returned from a trip to Israel and the Palestinian territories on Friday, also stated he was shocked by the "perfidity" of the hostages' "tormentors".

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas slammed the images as "appalling and expos(ing) the barbarity of Hamas", calling for the release of "all hostages ... immediately and unconditionally".

'Living skeleton buried alive'

The videos, released separately by Hamas and Islamic Jihad on Thursday, show Rom Braslavski, 21, and Evyatar David, 24, visibly weakened and in distress, according to BBC reports. Both were abducted from the Nova music festival on 7 October 2023 during the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel.

In the videos, Braslavski, crying, said he had eaten just “three crumbs of falafel” and was unable to stand. David, also visibly malnourished, was filmed digging what he described as his own grave. His relatives accused Hamas of deliberately starving him, describing him as “a living skeleton, buried alive.”

“I haven’t eaten for days… I barely got drinking water,” he said. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the footage as “profoundly shocking” and pledged to the hostages’ families that efforts to secure their release “will continue constantly and relentlessly.” 

On Sunday, he also urged the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to intervene to provide food and medical support to those still in captivity.

The ICRC said it was “appalled” by the footage, which it called “stark evidence of the life-threatening conditions” the hostages are facing. The organisation renewed its call for immediate access to assess their condition, offer care and facilitate contact with their families.

During the weekend, individuals gathered in Tel Aviv in a protest led by the families of hostages. Speaking at the rally, the families of Braslavski and David demanded urgent action: “Everyone must get out of hell, now.”

“They managed to break Rom. He has simply been forgotten there,” Braslavski's family said in a statement appealing directly to Israeli and US leaders.

Hamas’ al-Qassam Brigades denied intentionally starving the captives, claiming that hostages receive the same food as fighters and civilians amid the hunger crisis in Gaza. 

The group said it would “respond positively” to Red Cross aid deliveries if humanitarian corridors are opened and airstrikes are paused during those deliveries, news sources reported.

A total of 49 hostages remain in Gaza, with 27 presumed to be dead, according to available information.