Hostage Survivor Rom Braslavski Seeks Interview With Gilad Shalit

Rom Braslavski, a survivor of the October 7th Hamas attack and subsequent captivity in Gaza, is urgently seeking to interview former IDF soldier Gilad Shalit for his podcast. Shalit was abducted by Hamas in 2006 and held for over five years before his release in 2011.

Braslavski, who was released from captivity in October 2025, posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account, referring to Shalit as the "king of hostages" and expressing a strong desire for a conversation. "I must urgently get Gilad Shalit, the king of hostages," Braslavski wrote. "I must have a conversation with him, I am willing to sacrifice a lot for a meeting with him for my podcast. How do you get the guy?"

The public appeal comes amid ongoing discussions about the experiences and recovery of those who have returned from Hamas captivity. Shalit has not yet responded to Braslavski's request.

Since his return, Braslavski has been vocal about his experiences and has openly criticized political figures. In May, he sharply attacked Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who had claimed that a government including Mansour Abbas was worse than the events of October 7th. Braslavski accused Smotrich of being responsible for the deaths and abductions, stating, "The terrorist Abbas is better than you, I want to vomit. Instead of tweeting and giving interviews, come help me and my family recover and take responsibility for your blunders."

It remains to be seen whether Braslavski's public outreach will result in a rare media encounter between the two prominent hostage survivors.