'He’s all bones. Begging to be taken out of there': Father of Israeli hostage pleads for son’s life after release of disturbing video

In a heart-wrenching interview, Ofir Braslavski, father of Rom, an Israeli hostage held by Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza, described the agony of seeing a video released by the militant group showing his son in an emaciated and desperate state. Though the family did not approve publication of the full footage, one still image was shared – enough to leave a devastating impression.

“It’s a very hard video to watch. Extremely difficult. I, as his father, was shocked,” Ofir said. “He’s all bones. He’s crying, saying it’s hard for him. Begging to be taken out of there.”

Rom's physical and emotional condition, as described by his father, paints a bleak picture. “He can’t stand up, he can’t go to the bathroom, he has no food, no water. They're starving him… They’re probably torturing him.”

The interview comes days after Islamic Jihad claimed it had lost contact with the captors responsible for Rom’s captivity – a revelation that left the Braslavski family in unbearable limbo. “I can’t function,” Ofir confessed. “Every moment I call, asking if there’s any news. No one has come to tell us anything, and we’re left hanging.”

Adding to his anguish is what Ofir described as a profound failure of leadership in Israel. Responding to the government’s supposed pivot toward a comprehensive hostage deal, he expressed fading hope. “I used to always be optimistic… The only thing keeping me going is the thought that I might get him back.”

His frustration boiled over into feelings of betrayal. “Today I feel… that my country, those who are supposed to protect me and him and tell us what’s happening with him, they are my enemy, sadly.”

Ofir directly addressed political leaders. “I want [Smotrich and Ben Gvir] to look him in the eyes in that video… And Bibi, with all due respect, should look him in the eyes and see how he looks, how he’s starving.” He dismissed the Israeli government’s assertions that the impasse lies solely with Hamas. “It’s a game. It’s not real… Let [Netanyahu] say: I’m ending the war, release the hostages, that’s first.”

With a message for his son, Ofir broke down. “Rom, hang in there a bit longer. We all love you. We’re waiting for you… We just want him back.”