A young Israeli woman, Romi Gonen, 25, has bravely spoken out about her traumatic experience as a hostage of Hamas, revealing that she feared being used as a “sex slave” during her captivity. Gonen, who was held for more than a year, detailed the repeated sexual assaults she endured and the threats made by her captors in a recent interview with CNN.
Gonen was abducted during the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023. Following her capture, she was moved through various locations in Gaza and subjected to physical and psychological abuse. After spending 471 days in captivity, she was among the first three hostages released as part of a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
In her interview, Gonen disclosed that the first assault occurred just days after her capture. For the initial 34 days, she was kept in solitary confinement, only occasionally encountering her captors, including a so-called medic who treated a gunshot wound she sustained during the attack. “He was a ‘nurse,’ so he allowed himself to ‘help me,’” Gonen recounted, explaining the circumstances under which she was assaulted.
The emotional toll of her captivity was profound. For a period of 16 days, Gonen faced relentless harassment from two men, identified as Ibrahim and Mohammed. “I’m sitting on the bed. Ibrahim comes and sits next to me and harasses me,” she described, highlighting the psychological abuse she suffered. Gonen also recounted instances where she was forcibly isolated and assaulted in private spaces, articulating the fear she felt as she confronted the reality of her situation.
The harrowing experience left her grappling with the fear that she would never return home. “Romi, everyone in Israel thinks you’re dead, and you’re going to be his sex slave for life,” she recalled thinking during one particularly traumatic incident. The threats escalated to the point where one captor brandished a gun and warned her against speaking out.
As the situation became increasingly dire, senior Hamas commanders were made aware of the ongoing abuse. Gonen was taken to speak with Izz a Din al-Haddad, the head of the Hamas Gaza Brigade at the time. She described being offered a deal: “I will put you at the top of the release list, and in return, you will promise me that you will keep quiet.”
Despite the trauma, Gonen has emerged with a powerful message. “They often silenced my story and told me not to tell it. Now I am here, sitting in front of the camera, and honestly, no one will silence me anymore,” she stated defiantly. Her courage resonates as she emphasizes the importance of sharing her truth, despite the ongoing psychological and emotional challenges she faces.
Gonen is not alone in her experience. A report by the Dinah Project in July 2025 revealed that thirteen other women and two men also reported experiencing or witnessing sexual violence while held hostage in Gaza. This collective testimony underscores the severity of the situation and the urgent need for accountability.
As Gonen continues to heal from her ordeal, her determination to speak out against the atrocities she endured serves as a powerful reminder of the human spirit’s resilience in the face of unimaginable adversity.
