Tel aviv: Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid has expressed strong criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government following the release of a video by the Palestinian group Hamas, showing an emaciated Israeli captive in Gaza. Lapid urged government officials to watch the video of Evyatar David before attempting to sleep, highlighting the gravity of the situation faced by the captive. According to Anadolu Agency, the video, released by Hamas' armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, depicts David in a severely emaciated state, a consequence of Tel Aviv's ongoing starvation policy in Gaza. The footage shows David in a cramped room, visibly suffering from malnutrition, alongside earlier scenes of him in a vehicle with another captive, observing the release of Israeli captives during a previous prisoner swap. Expressing her anguish, David's mother, Galia David, conveyed her distress while maintaining hope for her son's survival, as reported by the public broadcaster KAN. The situation has prompted relative s of current and former captives to call on Netanyahu's government to expedite a swap deal to alleviate the suffering of those held in Gaza. On February 23, the Qassam Brigades had also released a video showing two captives, including David, in a state of shock while witnessing the release of other hostages. The captives had appealed to Netanyahu to continue the ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal to facilitate their return home. Despite international appeals for a ceasefire, the Israeli military has continued its offensive on Gaza since October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of over 60,300 Palestinians, primarily women and children. The ongoing bombardment has caused significant devastation and food shortages in the enclave. In a related development, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, charging them with war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Additionally, Israel faces a genocide case at the Internati onal Court of Justice concerning its actions in the enclave.