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A former hostage held by Hamas in Gaza has shared a powerful and deeply moving account of his captivity, describing moments of intense suffering alongside unwavering emunah and clear experiences of hashgacha pratis, in an interview with the Hidabroot Channel.

Rom Braslavski spoke candidly about one of the darkest points during his captivity, when he grappled with thoughts of ending his life, but ultimately held back due to his understanding of Torah values. “I had a suicide mission. I told myself that if the war ends and I’m still here, I won’t commit suicide, because suicide is forbidden, but I will make a suicide party.”

He described a chilling incident in which he briefly had access to a weapon belonging to one of the terrorists. “I grabbed the Kalashnikov, I cocked it. I had about four minutes alone with the gun, I just got cold feet; I couldn’t continue.”

Throughout his time in captivity, Braslavski said he endured severe hardship and repeatedly found himself on the brink of death, yet saw clear signs of Yad Hashem guiding him. “From October 7th until my release, I experienced with my own eyes divine providence. I saw death before my eyes, I even experienced clinical death, and the moment you are saved time and again, I’m alone, and I’m beaten, and I stand in front of a wall, without eyes, without legs, without arms, nothing, you can’t do anything, a hostage.”

Despite everything, he emphasized that his emunah remained strong throughout. “I know that G-d is here with me, and I know that there is a reason for these beatings. That is the price I accept on myself.”

He also reflected on how he observed Yom Tov under impossible conditions, choosing not to eat chometz on Pesach despite extreme hunger and pressure from his captors. “I decided not to eat pitas. When I told him that, he refused, he said I had to eat that pita and a half, and that he wasn’t asking me. What I did was, I was with a Thai hostage. When he brought the food, the Arab would leave, and I would give my pitas to the Thai.”

Asked how he managed to survive with so little sustenance, Braslavski answered simply: “I wasn’t really nourished. I lived on a plate of rice, maybe a bit of beans.”

His account stands as a powerful testament to the strength of emunah and mesirus nefesh even under the most unimaginable circumstances.

Intensive diplomatic efforts are underway involving the United States, Iran, and regional intermediaries to secure a 45-day ceasefire that could open the door to ending the ongoing conflict, according to a report published Sunday night.

Despite the ongoing negotiations, sources familiar with the discussions indicated that the likelihood of reaching even a short-term agreement within the next 48 hours remains low. Still, officials involved view the talks as a last chance to prevent a sharp escalation that could include widespread attacks on Iranian civilian infrastructure and retaliatory strikes targeting energy and water facilities across the Gulf.

President Donald Trump recently adjusted his timeline for a deal, extending the deadline to “Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time” after previously giving Iran a 10-day window to reach an agreement.

Trump said the United States is actively engaged in negotiations and expressed cautious optimism that a resolution could still be achieved. “There is a good chance, but if they don’t make a deal, I am blowing up everything over there,” Trump said.

At the same time, Trump has made clear that failure to secure an agreement could lead to strikes on infrastructure vital to Iranian civilians. Iranian officials have responded with warnings that they would retaliate by targeting critical facilities in Israel and Gulf countries.

According to the report, a coordinated U.S.-Israel military plan aimed at Iran’s energy sector is already prepared, though the extension of the deadline is intended to allow one final attempt at diplomacy.

Negotiations are being carried out through mediators from Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey, along with indirect communication between Trump envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

A U.S. official involved in the process said that several proposals have been put before Iran in recent days, but none have been accepted so far.

Diplomats are working on a two-stage approach, beginning with a 45-day ceasefire that would allow for broader negotiations, with the possibility of extending the pause if progress is made. A second stage would aim at reaching a permanent resolution to the conflict.

Among the main obstacles are the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the issue of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Mediators are attempting to secure initial, limited concessions from Iran on these matters while also seeking assurances from the United States that any ceasefire would lead to a more lasting agreement.

Iranian leaders, however, have continued to project a defiant stance publicly, signaling reluctance to agree to major concessions under the current circumstances, the report said.

Emergency teams recovered the bodies of two victims early Monday from the ruins of a residential building in Haifa that was struck directly by a heavy Iranian missile, as rescue operations continue for two additional missing individuals believed to be trapped beneath the debris.

Search-and-rescue personnel, together with the Home Front Command, remain actively combing through the collapsed structure in an effort to locate the remaining missing victims. The four individuals initially unaccounted for include an elderly couple, their son, believed to be around 40 years old, and a caregiver.

Home Front Command Chief, Major General Shai Klapper, who arrived at the scene, underscored the severity of the situation and said, “This is an extremely complex site, and there is serious concern for the lives of the missing. We are operating with extreme caution due to the significant engineering and security challenges.”

One of the central challenges complicating the operation is the concern that a portion of the missile that struck the building may not have exploded. The impact caused three floors of the structure to collapse, and while crews have cleared nearby tree-lined streets to allow heavy equipment access, the steep and unstable terrain continues to hinder safe entry to the exact impact zone.

To navigate the dangers, specialized rescue teams and Home Front Command forces are constructing a controlled access passageway—a “tunnel”—using advanced equipment, aiming to reach those trapped without triggering further structural collapse or detonating any unexploded material.

Efforts have recently been concentrated on a specific area within the rubble after a cellphone belonging to one of the missing individuals was discovered. The son, who is from Herzliya, has not responded to repeated calls, and the discovery of the family’s vehicles in a nearby parking area has reinforced the assessment that they were inside the building when it was hit.

In the immediate aftermath of the strike, responders evacuated several victims, including an approximately 82-year-old man in serious condition and a toddler who sustained light injuries. Additional individuals at the scene were treated for shock.

MDA Senior EMT Shevach Rothenshtrych reported from the scene: “When we arrived at the street, we saw a multi-story building that had been hit, with extensive destruction at the scene. Residents who were there told us there were casualties trapped under the rubble on the lower floors. We managed to move large pieces of concrete with our hands and rescued an 82-year-old man from the debris, who was in serious condition but conscious. We provided him with initial treatment at the scene and evacuated him to the hospital in an MDA mobile intensive care unit ambulance while in serious condition. Large MDA teams at the scene are providing medical treatment to several people in mild condition and are prepared to provide medical care to additional casualties if they are located during the searches”

MDA Paramedic Lamas Salameh added, “This is a 7-story building that sustained a direct hit, causing extensive damage. We arrived at the scene with large MDA teams, including ambulances, mobile intensive care units, and MDA medicycles, and began searching the scenes. During the searches, we located an 83-year-old casualty in serious condition who was injured by the destruction. In addition, we treated 3 other casualties in mild condition, as well as several people suffering from anxiety symptoms. We are continuing to search the scenes to ensure there are no additional casualties and will remain on site as required.”

MDA Senior EMT, Tal Shustak, recounted, “Immediately upon receiving the reports at MDA’s emergency dispatch center about a building being hit, we were dispatched in large forces to the scene and saw extensive destruction, including glass, smoke, and concrete scattered across the ground. We rescued an 82-year-old man from the building’s rubble who was in serious condition after being struck by debris. We provided him with medical treatment and evacuated him to the hospital. In addition, we treated three people in mild condition – a 77-year-old woman, a 38-year-old woman, and a 10-month-old baby who suffered a head injury. They were injured by shrapnel, and we provided them with medical treatment. We also treated several people suffering from anxiety symptoms at the scene, and we are continuing to search the area.”