French President Emmanuel Macron has sharply condemned the recent release of videos by Hamas depicting two Israeli hostages held in Gaza, calling the footage a display of “inhumanity without bounds.”

In a statement issued on Sunday, August 3, 2025, via his official X account, Macron denounced the videos as “abject cruelty” and reaffirmed France’s commitment to securing the immediate release of all remaining hostages.

The militant group Hamas and its ally Islamic Jihad recently released three videos showing captives Rom Braslavski and Evyatar David, both visibly emaciated.

The two were among the 251 people abducted during Hamas’s October 7, 2023, cross-border assault on Israel that sparked the ongoing war. According to Israeli authorities, 49 hostages remain in captivity, with 27 confirmed dead.

One of the released clips shows 24-year-old Evyatar David digging what he claims is his own grave, a moment that has provoked particular outrage internationally. His fellow captive, 21-year-old Rom Braslavski, holds dual German Israeli citizenship.

“These are unbearable images,” Macron said. “The absolute priority for France is the immediate release of all the hostages.” He also reiterated France's efforts to secure a ceasefire and ensure unhindered humanitarian aid access to Gaza, which remains under blockade.

Macron, who has previously announced France’s intention to recognize a Palestinian state by September 2025, underscored that Hamas must be entirely excluded from any post-war governance arrangement in Gaza.

“We must ensure the total demilitarization of Hamas, its complete exclusion from any form of governance, and the recognition of Israel by the future state of Palestine,” he asserted.

European and international leaders echoed Macron’s condemnation. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called the videos “proof of Hamas’s barbarity,” and demanded the militant group disarm and release all remaining hostages.

Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga also condemned the footage, describing Hamas’s treatment of hostages as “heinous” and demanding the group “lay down its arms and release all captives immediately.”

While most hostages have been freed, many through prisoner exchanges, international pressure continues to mount on Hamas amid reports of worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza.

Hamas’s October 2023 attack killed 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli tallies.

In response, Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza that has, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry, claimed over 60,430 lives, the majority believed to be civilians. The United Nations has said it considers the casualty figures credible.