A year after a starving Evyatar David appeared on this papers cover, hes reunited with his brother and playing guitar at his wedding

One year ago, the world watched a starving young man dig what Hamas told him would be his own grave.His body had been reduced to skin and bone, and he could barely lift the shovel in his hands. For millions of people, it was a horrifying video that appeared on their screens and then ended.

For Ilay David, it was something else entirely.It was his older brother, Evyatar, and all Ilay could do was watch helplessly from home.A few days after the video was released, the David family tried to reach President Trump through the pages of this newspaper. Evyatar appeared on the cover with the headline, “STARVED OF HUMANITY.”“At the time, neither of us knew if Evyatar would survive long enough to read those words,” Ilay told The Post.Today, one year later, Evyatar is home.“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.

For almost two years, I had traveled wherever I believed someone might be able to help.I spoke in television studios and public squares, in Congress and at the White House.

“I told politicians, diplomats, journalists and anyone else who would listen about Evyatar.I needed them to understand that he was not simply a face on a poster or another name on a list of hostages.

He was my little brother.Who loves music, makes people laugh and has an entire life waiting for him.”When Hamas released the video, Ilay saw for the first time what captivity had done to his brother.

“I had imagined hunger, fear and darkness.But nothing prepared me for the sight of his slim body.

I studied his face, searching for the brother I knew inside the person Hamas had starved.His eyes were still his, but the rest of him seemed to be disappearing.”Recounting the episode, Evyatar tells the Post that Hamas made him and his fellow captive Guy Gilboa-Dalal remove their clothes.

The terrorists then chose Evyatar to appear in the video, “Because I looked worse,” he said.�...