Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, has sent a formal request to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, urging him to publicly denounce Hamas’s “cruel and inhumane treatment” of hostages following the release of three Israeli captives.
The freed hostages, Or Levy, Eli (Eliyahu) Sharabi, and Ohad Ben Ami, returned in critical condition, showing signs of extreme malnutrition after being held captive for 491 days. It was reported that they had lost around 30% of their body weight.
In a Saturday night post on X/Twitter, Danon addressed their physical condition, calling it “clear evidence of war crimes and flagrant violations of international law by Hamas, which has committed and continues to commit crimes against humanity.”
In his official appeal letter to Guterres, Danon accused Hamas of manipulating the international community for over a year. He then pointed to the numerous claims about starvation among Palestinians in Gaza, claiming that these were part of a “false propaganda” narrative promoted about the alleged starvation in Gaza.
Commenting on the disturbing images of the released Israeli hostages, Danon noted, “the images tell the truth: Hamas terrorists and the Gaza crowd gathered there to humiliate them appear in a very well condition, while the Israeli hostages alone bear the unmistakable signs of starvation.”
Danon emphasized, “Hamas has committed crimes against humanity. I urge you to unequivocally and publicly condemn the inhumane treatment of these hostages and demand the immediate and uncommon release of all those still held in Gaza.”
In a Motzoei Shabbos post on X, Guterres commented on the ceasefire deal but did not directly address Danon’s appeal. He wrote, “We must keep pushing for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza & the release of all hostages without delay.”
He added, “We cannot go back to more death & destruction. A viable, sovereign Palestinian State living side-by-side in peace & security with Israel is the only sustainable solution.”
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, expressed his horror at the condition of the released hostages, calling it “appalling” in a Saturday night post on X. He condemned the treatment the hostages suffered while in Hamas captivity.
Starmer stated, “We must continue to see all the hostages freed – these people were ripped away from their lives in the most brutal circumstances and held in appalling conditions.”
He also stressed the importance of the ceasefire holding and called for focused efforts on the full implementation of the remaining phases of the deal. This includes the continued release of hostages, the ongoing delivery of aid to Gaza, and securing a lasting peace in the Middle East.