Former Gaza hostage Evyatar David launches crowdfunding campaign to support recovery

Former Gaza hostage Evyatar David has initiated a crowdfunding campaign to aid in his recovery process, alleging insufficient financial support from the Israeli government for former Hamas captives. According to David, who was 22 when taken hostage during the October 7 massacre, his recovery is "very complicated" and he is still grappling with the traumatic experience. He was held captive by Hamas for over two years before his release on October 13, 2025.

During his captivity, David was forced to film a video of himself digging his own grave in a Gaza terror tunnel by his captors on August 2025. He recounted to CNN that his captors were visibly malnourished and starving, and the experience left him with severe anxiety and PTSD. David emphasized that the starvation they faced caused "great deal of anxiety and conflict" between him and his fellow captive Guy Gilboa-Dalal, leading to fights over rationing their meager food and water supplies.

Despite the hardships, David credits music as one of his primary coping mechanisms, stating that it helps him "run from my thoughts and feel calm and unstressed." He also expressed his intent to travel to the US next month for speaking engagements, highlighting the importance of sharing their experiences to ensure the world remembers the atrocities committed by Hamas. David noted that while the terrorists sought to break them, they managed to retain their spirits, marking a significant victory over their captors.