Rom Braslavski, a 21-year-old Israeli abducted from the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023, has reportedly been held in dire conditions for 664 days in Gaza. Recent social media content and news reports indicate his severe physical deterioration, with his captors allegedly providing minimal sustenance. His family has expressed profound distress following the release of propaganda videos showing his emaciated state and pleas for release. Braslavski remains among the dozens of hostages still held by terror groups in the Gaza Strip.
A recent tweet from "Israel News Pulse" detailed harrowing conditions of Braslavski's captivity, stating he is "purposefully being starved by his Gazan captors." The tweet further claimed he is confined to a low-ceilinged side room in tunnels, "shackled 24/7 and unable to even stand upright." It also alleged that he is given "half a pita a day and some dirty water," and is daily told by his captors that "they are going to execute him soon."
Braslavski was abducted from the Nova desert rave, where he was working as a security guard during the October 7, 2023, attacks. Accounts from other survivors indicate that he actively helped numerous partygoers escape the onslaught before he himself was captured. He was wounded in both hands while attempting to save others, according to testimonies from those he rescued. His family initially believed he had been killed due to the intensity of the attack.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) has released multiple propaganda videos of Braslavski, with the most recent one on July 31, 2025, claiming it was filmed before contact was lost with his captors. His mother, Tami Braslavski, reacted to an earlier video, stating, "I don’t even recognize my son. He has aged 10 years." She added, "If they broke Rom, they’ll break anyone," highlighting the psychological and physical torment he has endured. PIJ's claims of lost contact have raised further concerns about his safety and whereabouts.
Braslavski's family has been vocal in their anguish, demanding answers and action from Israeli officials, whom they accuse of refusing to meet with them. "People talk a lot about what is happening in Gaza, about hunger, and I want to ask everyone who spoke about hunger: Did you see our Rom?" his family stated, drawing a stark comparison. They continue to call for international attention and intervention to secure his release, emphasizing his severe condition and the urgency of the situation for one of the approximately 50 hostages believed to still be alive in Gaza.