Guy Gilboa-Dalal, who revealed in November that he was sexually abused by his Hamas captors, has continued pressing to expose what he says happened to him and other hostage survivors. Speaking ahead of the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, which will be marked on Friday, June 19, he said the UN’s claim that such testimony “cannot be verified” is a betrayal of survivors.
In a conversation with Israel’s first lady, Michal Herzog, Gilboa-Dalal said, “I feel I have a mission to use my voice to strengthen women and men who have experienced sexual assaults. The UN is fake. They say they cannot believe what I or other hostages who were in Gaza say, when they are the ones who are supposed to protect us.” He added, “The UN is closing its eyes,” and said he wanted victims to know they are not alone and that “it is not the victim’s fault.”
He then described the assault again, saying it happened a few days before the second ceasefire, before his friends Tal Shoham and Omer Wenkert were released. According to Gilboa-Dalal, the guard took him from the tunnel, blindfolded him, brought him to a room used by militants, ordered him to undress, and made sexual remarks before touching his body, kissing his neck and back, and threatening him with a knife at his throat if he told anyone. “I swore,” he said.
Gilboa-Dalal said he could not tell his fellow hostages what had happened because he feared for his life. He also described a second assault lasting about 20 minutes, saying the attacker beat him, lifted him up and threw him to the floor, then forced him to say that he loved him before allowing him to return to the others. Michal Herzog told him the account showed “courage” and said it was their duty to bring the painful truth before the world.
