ATLANTA — In a gesture of solidarity with Israel, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp met Thursday with the family of a 24-year-old Israeli who was kidnapped by Hamas gunmen during an October 2023 music festival and remains captive in Gaza.

Metro Atlanta’s Jewish community has symbolically “adopted” the cause of Evyatar David, who has endured severe physical and mental abuse at the hands of his captors over the last 21 months.

During a private meeting at the state Capitol, Ilay David shared his brother’s story with Kemp and first lady Marty Kemp.

He described how a malnourished Evyatar was locked for months in an underground tunnel, forced to witness the release of other hostages — only to be dragged back to his three-foot confines by vengeful guards.

Kemp left the meeting visibly moved.

“It’s just hard to imagine they can treat another human being that way, but that’s what we’re dealing with here,” he told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

“That makes it more important for political leaders, community leaders, religious leaders and others to stand with these families and let them know that they’re not grieving alone — or fighting alone.”

Few Georgia politicians have staked such outspoken support for Israel as Kemp, a second-term Republican and potential 2028 presidential contender.

The governor has instructed the state treasurer to invest more in Israeli bonds and pledged to protect Jewish people from violent protests. He signed new protections against antisemitism into law and took a hard line against pro-Palestinian protests.

And months before the conflict erupted, he led a trade mission to Israel aimed at strengthening ties between the two governments.

“I know there’s a lot of heartbreak and devastation on all sides of this issue,” Kemp said. “But the people in captivity didn’t ask for this. These are innocent people kidnapped and killed by brutal terrorists. That’s what people need to understand.”

Kemp’s stance comes amid a growing political rift in Georgia over the ongoing war, which began when Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 others hostage.

Israel launched a sweeping military campaign that has killed more than 57,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.

While key political leaders from both parties united to condemn the deadly Hamas attacks, some Democrats have expressed grave concerns about the plight of Palestinian civilians killed in Israeli counterstrikes and called for an end to the fighting.

U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, the first Jewish U.S. senator in Georgia history, has faced criticism from pro-Israel groups over his 2024 vote to block some arms transfers to Israel, though he later supported an $8.8 billion weapons package.

Ossoff also met with David’s family and relatives of other hostages, and he gave a Senate speech in May demanding their release.

“This 24-year-old man has now spent two birthdays in brutal captivity, where he remains, right now, at this moment,” Ossoff said of David. “But he belongs at home with his family.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met in Washington this week with President Donald Trump to negotiate a U.S.-backed ceasefire plan, but hopes for an immediate breakthrough are dimming.

Netanyahu has remained adamant that the war will continue until Hamas is destroyed. Hamas, for its part, is demanding a permanent end to the conflict following a proposed 60-day truce.

While most hostages have been released in earlier ceasefires, about 50 remain in captivity. Israeli officials believe at least 27 are dead, and Netanyahu has said he has “doubts” about the fate of several others.

Hostage families have become central to protest movements and advocacy campaigns in Israel and the U.S., urging leaders to do more to secure their relatives’ release.

“We still live that trauma,” Ilay David told the AJC. “And we need champions like the governor to advocate for us, to be a voice for the hostages.”

Kemp said he had a message for David’s family.

“Real Georgians want you to know we have your back.”

©2025 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit at ajc.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.