Former Israeli hostage recounts sexual abuse in Hamas captivity and fear of becoming a ‘sex slave’
CNN••world
Key Points:
- Former Israeli hostage Romi Gonen, kidnapped by Hamas during the October 7, 2023 attack, revealed she endured repeated sexual assault, harassment, and intimidation during her 471 days in captivity, describing her fear of becoming a "sex slave" in Gaza.
- Gonen detailed multiple assaults by different captors, including a medic who abused her under the guise of treatment, and two men who harassed her during what she called her "worst 16 days" of captivity, facing threats and silence orders from Hamas commanders.
- She recounted a senior Hamas commander offering her a deal to keep quiet about the abuse in exchange for priority release, but she has now chosen to speak publicly to break the silence and confront the trauma.
