The world was outraged at the sight of Israeli hostages, held in Gaza, showing evident signs of starvation. One American network, CBS, persisted in refusing to show these images to the American public when it had the opportunity to immediately do so.

One legacy network that did step up is ABC. Here’s the World News Tonight report in its entirety (click “expand” to view full transcript):

ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT

8/4/25

6:44 PM

DAVID MUIR: Overseas tonight, the haunting images of the hostages still being held by Hamas, appearing desperate and frail. The family of one hostage tonight describing him as a living skeleton. Tonight, what Israel is now threatening to do to get the hostages out. Here’s Ian Pannell.

IAN PANNELL: Tonight, the haunting images shocking Israel, prompting international outcry. Emaciated hostages in Gaza on the brink of starvation. The propaganda videos coming after weeks of terrible images of children in Gaza dying of malnutrition. Now, sources telling ABC News Prime Minister Netanyahu threatening to expand the military operation to occupy all of Gaza and get the hostages home. 24-year-old Evyatar David, seen in that disturbing video. His family saying he’s become a living skeleton, buried alive in a Hamas tunnel. We spoke with his brother, Ilay.

What impact has the release of the video had on the family?

ILAY DAVID: It’s really crushed us. We were in — in a roller coaster, emotional storm. Because it was a sign of life.

PANNELL: And hostage Ram Braslavski, seen here saying, “I’m at death’s door” in a chilling video released by Islamic Jihad. Both families agreeing for the media to show these horrific images. Ilay David critical of Hamas for using the hostages and its own people as bargaining chips.

DAVID: They use my brother, they use the other hostages, they use the people of Gaza as pawns in their sick game, so, first, this starvation must stop, but it will only happen if Hamas will allow it to stop.

PANNELL: David, it’s unclear if Netanyahu’s threat to occupy all of Gaza is actually a negotiating ploy to force Hamas to disarm and release all hostages, as Israel and the U.S. want. David.

MUIR: Ian Pannell live for us in Tel Aviv. Ian, thank you.

ABC and NBC rightly focused on the hostage situation, with correspondents Ian Pannell and Matt interviewing the brother of Evyatar David. There was also proper focus on fellow hostage Ram Braslavski.

CBS, though, went a different route. Having aired borderline pro-Hamas propaganda, the night before (8/3), they ran nothing on  August 4th. Zero. Nada. And the contrast is stark. Consider this portion from Sunday’s newscast:

The IDF has brought us here to demonstrate that as far as they are concerned, their responsibility for delivering aid stops right here. But look at what happens in this U.N. footage as it tries to deliver that food. (GUNFIRE) “It’s kids. It’s kids.

The idea here is to plant in people’s minds that the Israel Defense Forces are actually shooting children trying to get relief supplies. 

This isn’t to say that ABC and NBC are perfect, either, with their reliance on “Hamas Health.” But when history demanded that we not avert our gaze from what is happening in those tunnels, they held fast. CBS, on the other hand, chose to air propaganda and further covered themselves in shame.  

Click “expand” to view full transcript of the aforementioned reports as aired on their respective newscasts:

NBC NIGHTLY NEWS

8/4/25

6:40 PM

TOM LLAMAS: We want to turn overseas now and Hamas releasing a new video showing an Israeli hostage who appears to be fighting for his life, just skin and bones, on the heels of another propaganda-released hostage video. A warning, the images you are about to see are very graphic. Here’s Matt Bradley.

MATT BRADLEY: Two new propaganda videos showing emaciated Israeli hostages in Gaza have outraged Israelis triggering fresh calls for release. Palestinian Islamic Jihad posted the video of 22-year-old Ram Braslavski last week, before Hamas released video of 24-year-old Evyatar David. The images came as U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff visited Israel and the Gaza strip. In a leaked audio recording of Saturday’s meeting with hostages’ families, the diplomat signalled a new approach to long-stalled ceasefire negotiations with Hamas.

STEVE WITKOFF: No piecemeal deals. Now we think that we have to shift this negotiation to all or nothing, everybody comes home.

BRADLEY: But Evyatar’s brother Ilay, who met with Witkoff at the meeting, told me his brother is running out of time.

ILAY DAVID: My father couldn’t recognize his voice in this video, and doctors are saying it’s- it can be a matter of days if we don’t give them now medical care they need.

BRADLEY: As aid trickles in, Gazans running to get their hands on any food but aid groups say it’s not enough. According to Gaza health officials, hunger has killed 180 Gazans, more than half of them children. Evyatar’s brother said his brother’s faith is keeping him alive.

BRADLEY: Did you watch the video?

DAVID: No.

BRADLEY: Reporter: Why?

DAVID: I just know that if I watch that video, I’ll collapse.

BRADLEY: Officials from the prime minister’s office said tonight that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will push to occupy the whole of the Gaza strip, including areas where hostages may be held. Tom.

LLAMAS: Matt Bradley with that major escalation in the war tonight. Matt, our thanks to you.

CBS WEEKEND NEWS

8/3/25

6:08 PM

JERICKA DUNCAN: Today in Rome or rather tonight, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he spoke to the head of the International Red Cross, the group to help provide food and medical aid to hostages held in Gaza. Gaza health officials are accusing Israeli forces of killing at least 325 people last week while seeking food. CBS’s Debora Patta reports tonight from east Jerusalem.

DEBORA PATTA: Every day, desperately hungry Palestinians gamble with death to get something to eat.

PALESTINIAN: What’s happening in this world? Where are the human rights? Where are the human rights?

PATTA: Hunger has forced an impossible choice in Gaza- risk gunfire or starvation. They shoot constantly, said this teenager. This boy was standing next to us, and he was killed. Hundreds have been killed near the U.S.-funded Gaza Humanitarian Foundation aid hubs controlled by the Israeli Defense Forces, which denies it fires on desperate crowds. But under global pressure, the IDF allowed more U.N. supplies in this past week, and took us to an aid collection point just inside Gaza to prove they are not deliberately starving Palestinians. The IDF has brought us here to demonstrate that as far as they are concerned, their responsibility for delivering aid stops right here. But look at what happens in this U.N. footage as it tries to deliver that food. (GUNFIRE) “It’s kids. It’s children.” Shots landing right in front of desperately hungry Palestinians. In this World Food Programme video, one of their trucks is looted by people so crazed with hunger, they say they will do anything to get something to eat. The majority of Gaza’s 2 million people are displaced, living in tented camps. “If the war continues any longer”, Abier Sobha said, “I think I might kill myself.” She simply cannot bear being unable to provide food for her children. Debora Patta, CBS News, East Jerusalem.