- By Shivangi Sharma
- Thu, 06 Nov 2025 05:46 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The horror endured by Israeli hostage Rom Braslavski during more than two years of captivity in Gaza has shocked Israel and the international community, after he publicly revealed he was sexually assaulted, humiliated, and starved by his captors. Braslavski, 21, was violently abducted on October 7, 2023, while working as a security guard at the Nova music festival near Re’im, where hundreds were massacred in one of the deadliest terror attacks in Israel’s history.
In an upcoming investigative interview for Israel’s Channel 13 program Hazinor, portions of which were first published by the Daily Mail, Braslavski recounts the brutality he suffered. He describes being stripped naked, tied up, and subjected to sexual violence, which he says was intended not only to cause pain, but to crush his dignity.
“I was torn apart, dying, with no food,” he recounts in the interview. “I prayed to God, ‘Please, save me, get me out of this already.’ And you just say to yourself, ‘What the f***?’”
Two Years Of Fear And Starvation
Held by Islamic Jihad terrorists inside Gaza’s tunnel network, Braslavski says he was deliberately starved as militants ate in front of him, a tactic he describes as psychological warfare. Israeli officials have confirmed similar accounts from other released hostages.
Several survivors report being threatened with weapons, denied medication, and kept in darkness for months at a time. One hostage, Avinatan Or, 32, was kept in near-total isolation for two years and did not see another kidnapped person until the day of his release.
A Voice Breaking Through Silence
Braslavski’s willingness to speak openly has been hailed as an act of bravery in Israeli society, where male sexual assault, especially in captivity, remains a highly stigmatised subject. Israeli President Isaac Herzog issued a public statement praising him:
“Rom Braslavski showed extraordinary courage in sharing the horrors of his captivity… His trembling voice breaks through the walls of silence and denial, reminding the world it must not turn away from the truth.”
Hostage Crisis Nears Its End
Of the 251 people abducted on October 7, most have been returned dead or alive. The last 20 living hostages held inside Gaza were released last month following a US-brokered ceasefire deal, ending one of the most intensive hostage operations in Israeli history.
Despite his freedom, Braslavski says the trauma endures. His story underscores concerns raised by human rights groups about systematic abuse by hostage-holding factions inside Gaza’s tunnel system.