Released Hamas hostage recounts captivity and anime dream at Tokyo press conference
In short
Guy Gilboa-Dalal, 25, an Israeli abducted from a music festival in the Oct 7, 2023 Hamas attack and held in Gaza for about two years, gave a press conference in Tokyo on Oct 5 during his first visit to Japan. He said he was held in apartments and underground tunnels, given one pita a day and beaten, and that he created anime in his head to escape. He said he suffers from PTSD and wants to make the anime he imagined into a work.
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Guy Gilboa-Dalal, 25, an Israeli who was held hostage by Hamas in Gaza for about two years, gave a press conference in Tokyo on Oct 5, telling reporters that one of his biggest dreams had come true through his first visit to Japan. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
He was abducted on Oct 7, 2023 from a music festival in southern Israel, where he had gone with friends. Nippon TV News reported that about 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage in that attack. He said at the press conference that he had been dancing at the festival and having the best time of his life, and that in only a few hours the place meant for celebrating life and freedom turned into a nightmare. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
He said he was held in apartments and underground tunnels in Gaza, where he was given one pita a day and was beaten. Mainichi Shimbun reported that he described being weakened by insufficient food and being sexually assaulted. He was released in October 2025; Mainichi said the release came on Oct 13, three days after the Israel-Hamas ceasefire took effect, while Nippon TV News and Livedoor News said only that it happened last October. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
He said Hamas completely controlled his body but could not enter his mind, and that he created anime in his head to escape to another world. Nippon TV News reported that he suffers from PTSD and that he spoke positively about wanting to actually make the anime he imagined while in captivity. [ 2 , 3 ]
Mainichi Shimbun reported that the anime is a very dark story in which characters overcome trauma in a cruel world, and that he said releasing it as a work is one of his dreams, while adding that what he most wants now is to feel he has returned to everyday life. [ 1 , 2 ]
Mainichi Shimbun reported that he arrived in Japan on Oct 4 with family and friends and plans to visit Kansai and Hokkaido, and that his family had visited Japan in the summer of 2025 to press for the hostages. Nippon TV News noted that Oct 7 will mark three years since the attack, and reported that more than 74,000 people, including women and children, have been killed in Gaza by Israeli military attacks since then, with more than 1,400 dying after the ceasefire took effect last October. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The press conference brings a former hostage's account of the Hamas attack to a Japanese audience roughly three years after it took place. The coverage links his story to Japan through his long-standing interest in Japanese anime, a connection his family had already raised during a 2025 visit to Japan. One outlet also places his account alongside casualty figures in Gaza, keeping the wider conflict in view.
Key facts
- Guy Gilboa-Dalal, 25, an Israeli held hostage by Hamas for about two years, gave a press conference in Tokyo on Oct 5. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- He was abducted on Oct 7, 2023 from a music festival in southern Israel, where he was with friends. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- He said he was held in apartments and underground tunnels in Gaza, given one pita a day and beaten. [ 2 , 3 ]
- He said he made anime in his head during captivity to escape, and wants to make it into a work. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Nippon TV reported he suffers from PTSD. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Mainichi reported he described being weakened by insufficient food and being sexually assaulted. [ 1 ]
- He arrived in Japan on Oct 4 with family and friends and plans to visit Kansai and Hokkaido, Mainichi reported. [ 1 ]
- Nippon TV reported about 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage in the Oct 2023 attack, and that more than 74,000 people have been killed in Gaza since. [ 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Guy Gilboa-Dalal, 25, an Israeli taken hostage in the Oct 7, 2023 Hamas attack and held in Gaza for about two years, gave a press conference in Tokyo on Oct 5. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- He was abducted from a music festival in southern Israel. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- He said he created anime in his head while in captivity to escape to another world, and that he wants to make the anime he imagined. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- The exact date of his release Mainichi says he was released on Oct 13, 2025, three days after the ceasefire took effect, while Nippon TV and Livedoor News say only that he was released last October.
- Whether his account of being weakened by insufficient food and being sexually assaulted is reported elsewhere This detail appears only in the Mainichi Shimbun report.
- Whether the anime he described has been produced or exists in any form He is quoted as saying that releasing it as a work is one of his dreams, and the documents do not say whether it has been made.
- He said he suffers from PTSD. Reported by a single source so far
- He said he was given one pita a day and was beaten while in captivity. Reported by a single source so far
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Guy Gilboa-Dalal is released, three days after the Israel-Hamas ceasefire took effect, according to Mainichi Shimbun; other outlets say only that the release came last October. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- He arrives in Japan with family and friends. [ 1 ]
- Mainichi Shimbun publishes its report on the Tokyo press conference. [ 1 ]
- Nippon TV News publishes its report on the press conference. [ 2 , 3 ]