Palestinian Islamic Jihad shared a distressing video on Thursday, showcasing Israeli hostage Rom Braslavsky, who was described as “thin, limp, crying,” and “broken.”
In the six-minute clip, the 21-year-old Braslavsky appeared ghostly and frail. A report noted his family’s claims that the group had “broken” him and they urged for his well-being to remain in the public consciousness.
Rom’s mother, Tami Braslavsky, expressed devastation to Ynet News, saying, “They broke my boy. I want him home now.” She explained, “I know how many beats he’s hitting. I know because Rom doesn’t cry. If he’s crying, they’re abusing him. Look at him. Thin, limp, crying.”
Although the video wasn’t made widely available, images authorized by the family depict Braslavsky looking gaunt, his tears evident against dark circles under his eyes.
This is the second video featuring Braslavsky released by PIJ; a prior scripted video included him stating he had been living through “hell” and was visibly unwell.
His family has been advocating for a meeting with Israel’s security chief and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, hoping their son’s plight won’t be forgotten amidst discussions of wider issues in Gaza.
In a statement via the Hostage and Missing Family Forum, they remarked, “People are talking a lot about what’s going on in Gaza, about hunger. I ask those who are talking about hunger. Have you seen our Rom? He hasn’t received food, he hasn’t received medicine. He’s simply forgotten there.”
The situation in Gaza has reportedly worsened, marked by food scarcity and risks of drought, according to the United Nations.
Recently, at least 48 Palestinians were reported killed by Israeli soldiers while attempting to gather food at an aid site.
Israel estimates that around 20 hostages remain alive in Gaza, with up to 50 bodies recovered of those who died while being held.
Former President Trump called on Hamas to free the Israeli hostages, emphasizing that the quickest resolution to the humanitarian situation in Gaza is the surrender of Hamas and the release of hostages.
Steve Witkov, Trump’s Middle Eastern envoy, is set to arrive in Israel to visit the aid site with Israeli ambassador Mike Huckabee.
