How Hamas Videos Changed the Story in Israel

In Israel, the conversation about Gaza's humanitarian crisis took a sharp turn. It all started when Hamas showed videos of two very sick Israeli hostages. These images changed everything. Before these videos, some Israeli news outlets were talking about the bad situation in Gaza. They said more aid was needed. Yonit Levi, a big news anchor, even called it a "moral failure" on live TV. Some universities and the national Holocaust memorial also asked the government to help. But then, Hamas released videos of Rom Braslavski and Evyatar David. These videos showed the hostages in very bad shape. One was crying and in pain. The other said he was forced to dig his own grave. These images made Israelis very angry and sad. After seeing these videos, many Israelis didn't want to talk about Gaza's problems anymore. They focused more on bringing the hostages home. Thousands of people protested, demanding the government do more to free them. Some Israeli media said foreign news outlets were not telling the truth about Gaza. They said Hamas was to blame for the suffering. They also questioned why the international press didn't show the hostages' videos as much as they showed pictures of starving Gazans. Many Israelis don't believe there is a famine in Gaza. They point to videos of Palestinians celebrating after the Oct. 7 attack. They also say Palestinian journalists can't be trusted because of Hamas' strict rules. The Israeli government has been criticized for not doing enough to free the hostages. Some media, like Haaretz, have been very critical of the government. The government has even banned officials from talking to Haaretz and stopped advertising in the paper. The Israeli military has also been accused of targeting journalists in Gaza. They say some journalists are actually members of militant groups. More than 61, 000 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict, according to Gaza health officials.