[GRAPHIC] Rom Braslavsky’s Harrowing Video Reveals Gaza Horror | WATCH
A video released by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad shows hostage Rom Braslavsky in critical condition, prompting his family to share clips and plead for his release, while Prime Minister Netanyahu vows to eliminate Hamas.
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a terrorist group holding 21-year-old Rom Braslavsky captive, released a harrowing video showing the Jerusalem native in a state of severe malnutrition, prompting his family to authorize the release of select clips. In the footage, Rom, abducted from the Nova festival on October 7, 2023, described his dire situation: “I’m Rom Braslavsky, 22, from Jerusalem, a prisoner of Saraya al-Quds. I’ve been in Gaza for two years. I’m suffering terribly. I can’t stand or walk to the bathroom. Food and water are gone. Today, I ate three falafel seeds. Yesterday, barely a plate of rice. I can’t breathe. I can’t live.” He added, “I’m living on less than a liter of water, lying on a mattress 24 hours a day. I’m on the brink of death. I’m sure all the other prisoners are in the same mental and physical state. Please stop this hell. Please stop this suffering. Give us food and water, at least for the hostages.”
Rom’s mother, Tami Braslavsky, expressed her anguish: “I tried to suppress reality, but the video hit me hard. The nightmare I feared is real. I’ve never seen my son like this. Rom doesn’t yell or get angry; he speaks softly, like someone who’s accepted he may not survive. When words fail, tears speak. Rom, my life, I’m crying with you.” She noted, “In the previous video, I saw a spark of hope in his eyes. Now, his eyes are lifeless, helpless, and so am I. I see your disappointment, your heartbreak, and hear your pain. I’ll do everything to bring you home.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned Hamas, stating, “I was shocked by the videos of our dear sons, Rom and Evyatar. I called their families, embracing them on behalf of myself, my wife, and all of you. You see them wasting away in dungeons, but the Hamas monsters have plump arms and ample food. They starve them like the Nazis starved Jews. Hamas wants to break us with these horrific videos and lies, but we won’t break. I’m more determined to free our hostages, eliminate Hamas, and ensure Gaza poses no threat.” With 50 hostages still held in Gaza, the video, part of Hamas’s psychological warfare, has intensified calls for a hostage deal. Social media on X echoed the outrage, with one user stating, “Rom’s suffering is unbearable, Hamas’s cruelty must be stopped!”