Freed Israeli Hostage Gilboa-Dalal Says He Was Sexually Assaulted by Hamas

Guy Gilboa-Dalal, an Israeli who was held hostage by Hamas for over two years, has publicly revealed that he was sexually assaulted during his captivity in Gaza. He is the first man to speak openly about sexual abuse by Hamas while being held hostage.

Gilboa-Dalal was kidnapped along with his friend Evyatar David on October 7, 2023, at the Nova music festival in Israel during Hamas’s large-scale attack that triggered the Gaza war. The two hostages were held in Gaza for more than two years, appearing in a Hamas video in February 2025 pleading for their release.

In a recent interview, Gilboa-Dalal described the assault in detail. He said that after being allowed to take a shower, his captor dragged him out, refused to let him put his clothes back on, and threw him onto an armchair. The captor then began touching him inappropriately while threatening him with a rifle and a knife, warning that he would be killed if he told anyone.

When asked if the assault was an isolated incident, Gilboa-Dalal said it was not, though he did not provide further details. He recounted trying to appeal to his captor’s religious beliefs, telling him that the act was forbidden in Islam, but the threats continued.

Gilboa-Dalal and David were finally released on October 13, 2025, along with 19 other surviving hostages under a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel that took effect on October 10. Their release marked the end of more than two years of captivity during which they endured unimaginable hardships.

The Israeli government expressed deep concern and sorrow over the testimony. A spokeswoman stated that the testimonies of released hostages are “painstaking and heartbreaking to hear” but are essential in shedding light on the atrocities endured during Hamas captivity.

Previously, in March 2024, Amit Soussana became the first hostage to publicly testify about being sexually abused by a Hamas captor, highlighting a disturbing pattern of abuse against hostages.

Gilboa-Dalal’s brave account underscores the severe human rights abuses faced by hostages in the Gaza conflict and draws attention to the ongoing psychological and physical impact of captivity.