Overview

• On July 31, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s armed wing released a video of 21-year-old Rom Braslavski appearing gaunt and urging Israeli authorities to secure his release after contact was lost over a week earlier.
• A day later, Hamas published footage of 24-year-old Evyatar David held in a tunnel and shown alongside malnourished children to highlight Gaza’s humanitarian crisis.
• AFP and Israeli media have not independently confirmed the dates or authenticity of the recent recordings, which militants leverage to influence stalled hostage negotiations.
• The Israeli military reports that 49 captives remain in Gaza from the October 7, 2023 assault and that 27 have been confirmed dead.
• Earlier this year, a truce brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the United States led to the return of 33 hostages in exchange for about 1,800 Palestinian prisoners, but subsequent talks have yielded no new releases.