Hamas’ cruelty: Evyatar David and Guy Galboa-Dalal forced to watch Hostage release, then taken back to Gaza

Hamas’ Cruel Psychological Warfare: Two Hostages Forced to Witness Release Ceremony, Then Taken Back to Captivity

Evyatar David and Guy Galboa-Dalal, Abducted from the Nova Festival, Are Brought to Hostage Release Ceremony—Only to Be Taken Back to Gaza

Unfathomable cruelty. On Saturday, 505 days after being abducted by Hamas from the Nova music festival on October 7, Israeli hostages Guy Galboa-Dalal and Evyatar David were brought by their captors to witness a hostage release ceremony—only to be dragged back into captivity while their fellow detainees were freed.

In a video released by Hamas, the two 23-year-old childhood friends from Kfar Saba were seen inside a vehicle near the stage, watching as other hostages were set free. Their expressions were filled with a mixture of anticipation, disbelief, and devastation as they struggled to understand whether those standing just meters away from them could see them.

We at Now 14 refuse to amplify Hamas’ despicable psychological warfare and will not share the video or any statements coerced from the hostages. However, we will describe the harrowing moment as part of our commitment to truth and journalistic integrity.

As the released hostages stood on stage, David and Galboa-Dalal remained confined inside the vehicle, separated by a cruel, invisible barrier from freedom. Their eyes were fixed on their fellow captives, their emotions a mix of longing and despair. After enduring hundreds of days in brutal captivity, they had dared to hope that they, too, would be freed—but Hamas shattered that hope in a calculated act of torment.

“They put them in the most horrifying situation imaginable. Monsters,” said Evyatar David’s sister in a heartbreaking response.

This moment is yet another testament to Hamas’ relentless psychological and emotional warfare—not only against the hostages but also against their families and the entire Israeli people. The terrorist organization continues to manipulate human suffering for propaganda, showing the world its sheer disregard for human dignity.

The global community cannot turn a blind eye to this barbaric act. The forced spectacle of suffering, the crushing of hope in front of the world’s cameras, is a stark reminder of Hamas’ tactics: not just physical captivity, but a deliberate, heartless game of psychological torment.

The Israeli government and international mediators must intensify efforts to bring every last hostage home. Each passing day in captivity is another crime against humanity that cannot be ignored.