Hostage Eliya Cohen released from Hamas captivity after 505 days
Shot and wounded during the Supernova party massacre, Cohen was hiding with his girlfriend, Ziv, but discovered by terrorists on Oct. 7, 2023; returned to Israel on Feb. 22, 2025
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On February 22, 2025, Eliya Cohen, 27, was released by Hamas from Gaza as part of phase one of a mediated hostage release-ceasefire deal. Below are the initial reports of his capture:
Eliya Cohen, 26 (now 27), was with his girlfriend, Ziv, at the Supernova desert rave when Hamas gunmen attacked, said his mother, Sigi Cohen.
The two tried to escape the falling rockets in their car, and were chased by terrorists with grenades and an RPG, and were both shot.
They two ran and hid, looked at each other and held hands, Sigi said, who was repeating what Ziv, who escaped, told her.
“Eliya whispered and said he was wounded but okay,” Sigi said.
The two were hidden by a pile of dead bodies, said Sigi. Ziv told Sigi that she felt Eliya being pulled up, and then placed on a pickup truck and driven away.
It was later discovered that Cohen was on the same pickup truck with hostages Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Or Levy and Alon Ohel.
The family eventually found a photo of Eliya in Gaza, presumably taken captive.
The Times of Israel Community.