Read PIJ’s English-translated video announcement of the operation. It includes the story of Rom Braslavski, a 21-year-old Israeli soldier held captive for a year-and-a-half. During the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023, Braslavski was kidnapped while working as a security guard. This video’s release is the first time Braslavski has been visible on camera since his capture.
In the footage, Braslavski describes his captivity as “a year and a half of suffering and hell.” He recounts the dire conditions he has faced, including illnesses, lack of food and water, and the ongoing bombardment of Gaza by Israel. His incarceration’s emotional impact on him is deeply wrenching. He has repeatedly called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump to intervene and get him released.
Braslavski’s video was released just days after Hamas released a propaganda video for the other Israeli hostage, Edan Alexander. In his message, Braslavski directly addresses far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, criticizing him for opposing proposals aimed at securing ceasefires and the release of hostages. Braslavski voted for Ben Gvir in the last elections. This decision marks a departure from his previous line of thinking after undergoing his unsuccessful, yet life-changing ordeal.
“No one from this country is picking up the phone for me. I need to watch this video together with the entire people of Israel. No one is answering me. Shame on the country.” – Rom Braslavski
The emotional resonance of the video goes well past Braslavski himself. Tami Braslavski, his mother, told the Guardian of her distress at seeing her son in the video. She had only recently taken the initial comfort of hearing signs of life from other former hostages released with him. With their father making the news, his appearances on television have increased her suffering. Tami said that her son, who was 18 at the time, looked like a monster in the video, sickly and way beyond his years.
Its release comes at a time that highlights both the ugly reality of this conflict and the suffering of hostages caught up in its violence. Tensions are high throughout the Middle East and beyond. Braslavski’s case builds a uniquely powerful case for the human cost of war. His family’s anguish reflects a broader concern among many Israeli families regarding the safety of their loved ones in these turbulent times.
