Agencies Tel Aviv

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has requested the Red Cross’s help in getting food and medical care to hostages in Gaza. Netanyahu said on Sunday he had spoken with the organisation’s regional head, Julien Lerisson.

There are 49 hostages believed still in Gaza, of whom 27 are believed dead.In a post on X, Netanyahu said he had requested Lerisson’s “immediate involvement” in providing the hostages with food and medical treatment.He also repeated his earlier claim that Palestinian people in Gaza are not suffering from starvation.

That comes despite reports from Palestinian health officials of more than 111 malnutrition-related deaths in the enclave and warnings from several of the world’s largest aid organisations of a devastating humanitarian crisis. “The lie of starvation propagated by Hamas is spreading worldwide, but the reality is that systematic starvation is being carried out against our hostages – men and women who are subjected to severe and cruel physical and psychological abuse,” his post said.

“The world cannot remain indifferent to the shocking images that are reminiscent of Nazi crimes. “I demanded the involvement of the world's nations in condemning the terrorist organisations Hamas and Islamic Jihad, and in halting all forms of support for them, direct or indirect. I emphasised to [Mr Lerisson] that the actions of these terrorist organisations violate international law and the Geneva Convention.”

Over the weekend, Hamas released two videos showing Israeli hostage Evyatar David, whom it has held since the bloody 7 October 2023 attack. One showed an emaciated David in a narrow concrete tunnel, while the other showed him digging a hole, which he said was for his own grave. David is heard saying: "I haven't eaten for days... I barely got drinking water."

His family said in a statement: "We are forced to witness our beloved son and brother, Evyatar David, deliberately and cynically starved in Hamas's tunnels in Gaza – a living skeleton, buried alive." The hostage's family also urged the Israeli government and the world community to do "everything possible to save Evyatar".