Samantha Donovan: To the conflict in the Middle East now, and Israel says it’s requesting an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council to discuss the plight of the hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza. The request comes after the militant group released a video of an emaciated hostage over the weekend. The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, says he’s also asked the International Red Cross to provide food and medical treatment to the captives. Angus Randall has this report.

Angus Randall: Israeli man Rom Braslavski is 22 years old. He’s been a prisoner in Gaza for one year and nine months.

Rom Braslavski : I’ve run out of food and water before. Yes, they would give me a little bit. But today there is nothing at all.

Angus Randall: In a hostage video released by terrorist group Palestinian Islamic Jihad, he says he’s on the verge of death and is urging water and food to be brought into Gaza. The video is one of two released over the weekend. The other was by Hamas, which governs Gaza. Around 20 hostages from the October 7 attack by Hamas in 2023 are believed to still be alive in Gaza. Ilay David says a video of his brother Evytar shows he’s being denied food by Hamas.

Reece Kershaw: We are shocked and horrified to see my younger brother as a human skeleton.

Angus Randall: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he was shocked by the videos of Israeli hostages. He says those videos were released to break Israel’s spirit.

Benjamin Netanyahu: I am filled with even stronger determination to free our kidnapped sons, to eliminate Hamas and to ensure that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to the state of Israel.

Angus Randall: Israel has consistently restricted access to food in Gaza, but it denies it’s causing starvation. United Nations observers say the Israeli military has frequently targeted aid sites with more than 1,000 Palestinian civilians killed by Israel at such sites since late May. And many Gazans who spend their day trying to collect food come back empty handed.

Gazan: This is now the fifth time I’m returning with an empty bag. I just want to return to my children with something. I’m seeing death. The ones benefiting now are traitors and thieves.

Angus Randall: The Gazan Health Ministry says six Palestinians died of starvation yesterday and at least 40 more were killed by Israeli strikes and gunfire. US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee have visited Gaza in recent days. The White House says Mr Witkoff is working on a plan to speed up aid deliveries to Gaza. In Australia, a massive crowd of pro-Palestinian demonstrators walked across the Sydney Harbour Bridge yesterday. Police estimate there were around 90,000 people. It came after the Supreme Court overruled police concerns the march across the bridge would be a threat to public safety. Premier Chris Minms says he will not allow the Sydney icon to be used as a regular platform for protest.

Chris Minns: No one should assume it’s open season on the bridge. We’re not going to have a situation where the anti-vaxxer group has it one Saturday and then the weekend after that critical mass takes over and then the weekend after that we have an environmental cause.

Angus Randall: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says yesterday’s march was an opportunity for Australians to express their concern over the situation in Gaza.

Anthony Albanese: In a democracy it is important that people be able to express themselves.

Angus Randall: Federal Labor MP for the Sydney seat of Chifley, Ed Husic, attended the march and says the turnout shows Australians demand action on Gaza.

Ed Husic: I think Australian politics has underestimated how strongly Australians feel about this issue but I think it’s also been the course of the Netanyahu government’s pursuit of Hamas and the way that they have been unable to distinguish between civilian and combatant that has had more and more people start to say this is not right and that they want to see the international community put pressure on.

Angus Randall: Anthony Albanese agrees that Australians feel strongly about Gaza, however he says there’s only so much Australia can do.

Anthony Albanese: Australians don’t want conflict brought here. They understand that Australia isn’t a participant in the process.

Angus Randall: Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Matt Thistlethwaite says the Prime Minister is seeking a phone call with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu.

Samantha Donovan: Angus Randall reporting.Â