One year ago, the world watched a starving young man dig what Hamas told him would be his own grave.
asserted
Hamas → watch → him
His body had been reduced to skin and bone, and he could barely lift the shovel in his hands.
uncertain
he → reduce → hands
For millions of people, it was a horrifying video that appeared on their screens and then ended.
asserted
that → appear → screens
It was his older brother, Evyatar, and all Ilay could do was watch helplessly from home
uncertain
Ilay → do → home
A few days after the video was released, the David family tried to reach President Trump through the pages of this newspaper.
asserted
family → release → newspaper
Evyatar appeared on the cover with the headline, “STARVED OF HUMANITY.”
asserted
Evyatar → appear → HUMANITY
“At the time, neither of us knew if Evyatar would survive long enough to read those words,” Ilay told The Post.
asserted
Ilay → know → Post
“When I wrote that appeal,” said Ilay, “I was trying to save my little brother’s life, but I was also trying to hold myself together.
asserted
I → write → myself
For almost two years, I had traveled wherever I believed someone might be able to help.
uncertain
someone → travel → years
I spoke in television studios and public squares, in Congress and at the White House.
asserted
I → speak → House
“I told politicians, diplomats, journalists and anyone else who would listen about Evyatar.
asserted
who → tell → Evyatar
I needed them to understand that he was not simply a face on a poster or another name on a list of hostages.
asserted
he → need → hostages
He was my little brother. Who loves music, makes people laugh and has an entire life waiting for him.”
asserted
people → love → him
When Hamas released the video, Ilay saw for the first time what captivity had done to his brother.
asserted
captivity → release → brother
“I had imagined hunger, fear and darkness.
asserted
I → imagine → hunger
But nothing prepared me for the sight of his slim body.
asserted
nothing → prepare → body
I studied his face, searching for the brother I knew inside the person Hamas had starved.
asserted
Hamas → study → person
His eyes were still his, but the rest of him seemed to be disappearing.”
asserted
rest → seem → him
Recounting the episode, Evyatar tells the Post that Hamas made him and his fellow captive Guy Gilboa-Dalal remove their clothes.
asserted
him → recount → clothes
The terrorists then chose Evyatar to appear in the video, “Because I looked worse,” he said.
asserted
he → choose → video
“As they led me toward the place where they wanted to film, I passed a room where I could smell tea and cake.
uncertain
I → lead → tea
I could hear my captors eating while I walked beside them, starving.
uncertain
I → hear → them
I remember thinking that I had become a skeleton walking past men with food who had decided I did not deserve any.”
asserted
I → remember → any
The kidnappers brought Evyatar into a small tunnel, handed him a shovel, and pointed to a narrow pit.
asserted
kidnappers → bring → pit
He began to dig.
asserted
He → begin → ?
“My body had almost no strength left, and every movement made me feel as though I might faint.
uncertain
I → have → strength
Still, I dug because there was a gunman watching me.”
asserted
I → dig → me
Ilay described his feelings as he watched the video:
asserted
he → describe → video
“Every instinct I had as his older brother told me to protect him,” said Ilay.
asserted
Ilay → have → him
“Instead, all I could do was stare at a screen while he struggled to lift a shovel.
uncertain
he → do → shovel
I wanted to reach through it, take the shovel from his hands and put my arms around him.
asserted
I → want → him
I wanted to give him food and tell him that we had never stopped fighting for him.
asserted
we → want → him
But he could do none of those things.
uncertain
he → do → things
So, instead, what he did was make sure the world looked at him and understood how little time was left — even when he worried it might already be too late.
uncertain
it → make → him
Then, on October 13, 2025, Evyatar was freed and the brothers reunited.
asserted
brothers → free → October
“After more than two years of seeing his face on posters, screens and newspaper pages, he was standing in front of me,” said Ilay.
asserted
Ilay → see → me
“I could touch him.
uncertain
I → touch → him
I could hear his voice.
uncertain
I → hear → voice
For so long, I had been afraid to imagine that moment too clearly.
asserted
I → imagine → moment
My little brother had come home.
asserted
brother → come → ?
…and 26 more, not listed.
The Aporia
