The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday on the issue of hostages in Gaza, while indignation grows as to their fate in the enclave ravaged by war and threatened by famine.
“An emergency meeting on the disastrous hostage situation in Gaza”. Danny Danon, an ambassador of Israel to the United Nations, announced last Sunday a meeting of the UN Security Council on social networks, a few days after the publication of videos showing two very weakened Israeli hostages.
Following my appeal to the President of the UN Security Council, the Council will convene this coming Tuesday for a special emergency session on the dire situation of the hostages in Gaza.
The disturbing images speak for themselves. While a global campaign is being waged against…— Danny Danon (@dannyon) August 3, 2025
The publication since Thursday by the Palestinian Islamist movement and its ally of Islamic jihad of three videos showing these two Israeli hostages have caused a lively stir and rekindled in Israel the debate on the need to reach an agreement for their release as quickly as possible.
The captives were removed during the unprecedented terrorist attack in Hamas in Israel on October 7, 2023.
For his part, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked the Help of the International Red Cross (ICRC) “to provide food” and “medical treatment” to hostages on Sunday. Shortly after, the armed branch of Hamas claimed to be ready to respond “positively” to any request from the ICRC, but required beforehand “the opening of humanitarian corridors (…) for the passage of food and medication” in the Gaza Strip.
Humanitarian aid in question
The Izz Al-Din al-Qassam brigades “do not deliberately deprive prisoners of food,” argued the terrorist movement, adding that the hostages “will not receive any preferential treatment as long as the blockade and the famine policy will continue”.
Videos published by Hamas refer to the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. And for good reason, the Palestinian territory, totally dependent on humanitarian aid, is threatened with a “widespread famine”, according to the UN.
In addition, international organizations denounce repeated obstacles from the Israeli authorities which would fuel disorder. According to humanitarian sources and experts, the aid, which arrives in droppings, is also pillaged by gangs in the largest chaos.
Of the 251 people kidnapped on October 7, 49 remain retained in Gaza – of which 27 declared dead by the Israeli army – after two truces having allowed the release of others.