Israeli Hostage Sexual Assault Gaza First Male Captive Speaks Out

A released Israeli hostage reveals he was stripped naked, tortured and sexually assaulted during two years of captivity in Gaza — a stark testament to brutal abuses.

A Survivor Breaks His Silence

Former Israeli soldier Rom Braslavski, 21, shared his chilling story after two years of captivity in Gaza. He said militants from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) stripped, tortured, and sexually assaulted him. His story is the first public claim by a male hostage about sexual violence in Gaza.

From Festival Guard to Hostage

Braslavski was on duty at the Nova music festival when Hamas and its allies attacked southern Israel on 7 October 2023. Militants killed around 1,200 people and kidnapped 251 others.
He was among them. When he refused to convert to Islam, his captors punished him. They blindfolded him for weeks, shoved stones in his ears, and cut his food and water.

“Every Day Was Hell”

The young hostage described the violence as deliberate humiliation.
“They tied me up, whipped me with a metal cable, and beat me again and again,” he said.
After a video of him appeared online in August 2025, the abuse grew worse. He said the attackers stripped him naked and assaulted him while he begged God to save him.

Courage and Controversy

Israeli President Isaac Herzog praised Braslavski’s bravery for exposing what he called “horrific sexual violence.”
A PIJ official denied the accusation, calling it “incorrect.”
The UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict earlier said investigators found strong evidence of rape and torture against hostages. Hamas dismissed those findings as “baseless.”

A Broader Human Rights Crisis

Separate UN reports also accuse Israeli forces of sexual and gender-based abuse against Palestinians. Israel rejects those claims.
Human-rights experts say both sides must face accountability for crimes against civilians.

Why This Testimony Matters

Braslavski’s story widens global attention on sexual violence against male war victims—a subject often ignored. His courage may push international courts and rights groups to demand deeper investigations.