Hostage Survivor Reveals Hamas Deception and Brutality During Captivity

Hostage survivor Eliya Cohen has revealed new details about his 505-day captivity in Gaza, describing how Hamas terrorists deceived him and other hostages. Cohen, abducted from the Re'im junction "death bunker," encountered fellow hostages Hersch, Uri, and Almog about two months into his captivity. They were held together in a tunnel for three days, during which their captors taunted them by shouting the names of Uri and Hersch, falsely implying they were being released.

Cohen recounted that he and the other hostages believed they were being sent home. However, only four days before his own release in February 2025, fellow hostage Omer Shem-Tov informed him that Hersch, Uri, and Almog had not been released but were murdered in captivity. Cohen had previously described the morning of his separation from the three, when their captors told them they were "going home to mom."

In the recent interview, Cohen reflected on the moment of separation, expressing a mix of sadness at his own continued suffering and hope that the others might reach safety and inform his family he was still alive. He also detailed the days leading up to his release, noting that his captors informed him of his return date 42 days in advance, and his release was ultimately expedited. This advance notice created optimism among hostages that further stages of a deal would be fulfilled, though Cohen cautioned his fellow captive Alon Ahl about the uncertainty of dealing with Hamas.

Cohen's wife, Ziv Avod, also shared her experience, recalling how rumors of the murder of six hostages two years prior, including Hersch, caused her particular fear for Eliya's fate due to their shared abduction from the same location. Cohen and Avod, who married last month, are now focused on rebuilding their lives and relationship after his return.