Harrowing deatils
Freed Hostage Eliya Cohen reveals: I was chained to other hostages; I underwent surgery without anesthesia
The testimony offers rare firsthand insight into the conditions faced by hostages still held in Gaza, where Hamas continues to hold captives taken during the October 7 attack on Israel.


Eliya Cohen, recently freed from Hamas captivity, has shared disturbing new details about his months-long ordeal, including undergoing surgery without anesthesia and escaping a tunnel collapse.
In an account reported by Israel's Channel 12 News, Cohen described being given only a piece of cloth to bite on while terrorists removed bullets from his body, forbidden from making any sound during the procedure.
Cohen was initially captured alongside Alon Ohel from what has become known as the "Death Shelter." After his release, he met with Ohel's parents to share information about their son's conditions in captivity.
The former hostage revealed that Hamas terrorists employed various disguises when moving captives between locations. He was dressed in Muslim women's clothing for some transfers, and on at least one occasion was disguised as a businessman in a suit.
Despite his captivity, Cohen maintained his religious practices. He conducted Jewish prayers and made Kiddush with fellow hostage Eli Sharabi, who was released several days before him.
One of the most dramatic moments came when an Israeli bombing reportedly struck one of the tunnels where Cohen was held. He described a last-minute escape alongside his captors as the structure collapsed.
The hostages were kept chained together for most of their captivity, Cohen reported. These restraints were only removed after the hostage release deal was finalized, at which point the captives needed to relearn how to walk normally. In the weeks leading up to their release, the hostages were fed heavily - Cohen gained approximately 7 kilograms (15 pounds) during this period.
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