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Freed Israeli-German Hostage Alleges Sexual Abuse in First Male Account Since Oct. 7

His televised testimony intensifies calls for investigations, with outlets differing on whether Hamas or Islamic Jihad held him.

Overview

  • Rom Braslavski, 21, who was abducted from the Nova music festival and held for more than two years, described being stripped naked, bound and tortured in captivity.
  • In an interview aired on Israel’s Channel 13, he confirmed the assaults were intended to degrade him and said it was the most horrific part of his ordeal.
  • The appearance marks the first public allegation by a male former Oct. 7 hostage of sexual abuse while detained.
  • He and his mother say captors pressured him to convert to Islam and offered food in exchange, alongside prolonged beatings, starvation and psychological abuse.
  • News reports differ on whether he was held by Palestinian Islamic Jihad or Hamas, and his account aligns with UN and NGO findings indicating sexualized violence was used during the attacks and in detention.