On Tuesday’s PBS NewsHour, Matan Eshet, cousin of Israeli hostage Evyatar David, said Hamas is emboldened when the international community ignores the terrorist group’s theft and exploitation of humanitarian aid entering Gaza.
In a conversation with co-host Geoff Bennett, Eshet criticized the global response to Hamas’ propaganda, particularly a video showing malnourished hostages that has fueled accusations against Israel. “It gives Hamas power by seeing that the world believes their propaganda,” Eshet said, arguing that the focus on aid restrictions ignores Hamas’ role in manipulating and misusing supplies.
Eshet explained that Hamas routinely diverts food, medicine, and supplies for its fighters and operations, including underground tunnel networks. “They take the humanitarian aid and they take it to their own tunnels or sell it again on the street at extremely high prices,” he said. “Then they just cause the people to starve again.”
The remarks came amid increasing pressure on Israel over humanitarian conditions in Gaza, where critics accuse the Israeli government of limiting access to vital aid. Israeli officials and hostage families, however, insist that Hamas is deliberately worsening the crisis by hijacking supplies for strategic purposes.
Eshet also expressed hope that global leaders, after viewing the disturbing video of his cousin and other captives, would increase pressure on Hamas to agree to a comprehensive deal for the release of all remaining hostages. “We are really hopeful that, after this horrible video, it will push the world leaders to put pressure on Hamas,” he said.
The Biden administration and international aid organizations continue to call for expanded aid access in Gaza, while also acknowledging the challenges posed by Hamas’s control over distribution networks. Israeli officials say those concerns underscore the importance of defeating Hamas militarily and politically to achieve lasting peace and humanitarian stability.
