What I’m doing now is digging my own grave,” says Evyatar David, as his fragile figure, weak with hunger, scrapes at the dirt with a shovel in a cramped Gaza tunnel.

This weekend, Hamas released a haunting video of 24-year-old Evyatar David, an Israeli hostage abducted from the Nova Music Festival during the Oct. 7 attacks. In the video, David appears so emaciated and pale that his father said he didn’t recognize him.

Israel's military will have to execute any government decisions on Gaza, the defence minister said Wednesday after reported disagreements over the prospect of a full occupation of the Palestinian territory.

The commandment of bal taschit prohibits wasteful destruction and is especially relevant in military conflict because in the fog of war humans can feel justified in destroying anything in their paths.

Cabinet ministers have even taken the unusual step of insisting publicly that the army will obey all orders they are given by the government, including for seizing the remaining parts of Gaza not already under Israeli control.