Former Hamas Captive Eliya Cohen Recounts 505 Days in Captivity

A month and a half after being released from Hamas captivity where he was held for 505 days, Eliya Cohen reconstructed in an emotional interview with News 12 what happened from 'his side' from the day the war began on October 7th, his arrival in Gaza, his time in Hamas tunnels, his return to Israel, and the rehabilitation process he is currently undergoing.

Eliya recalled the most difficult moment when terrorists stood outside the death shelter: "We hear pickup trucks stopping. Many pickup trucks, shouting in Arabic. They threw the first grenade. Someone shouts: 'Grenade!' I jumped on Ziv, literally spread myself over her, and the first thing that escapes my mouth is: 'Ziv, I love you.' The grenade exploded and killed everyone at the entrance. Ziv responded: 'Eli-h, I love you.'"

Suddenly he saw Aner Shapira starting to throw grenades back toward the terrorists. "Another grenade was thrown. He caught it and threw it back out. I saw it with my own eyes. Everyone understood what he was doing. At some point Aner was holding a grenade, and I see that they actually managed to shoot him. He falls to the floor and the grenade explodes with him. That's when I say: 'I can't believe it.' The guy protecting us is gone."

He continued that after Aner, others continued throwing grenades outside: "I remember a girl picking up a grenade and throwing it outside – and there's the last grenade that eventually cut off Hirsch's hand. After that, no one got up to throw grenades anymore."

Cohen says he recited "Hear, O Israel," opens his eyes and saw three terrorists: "They had phones and flashlights, filming us. With a crazy smile on their faces. An insane smile. I will never forget that smile in the world. I go to sleep with that smile, I live it. It's the smile of my kidnapping."

When he arrived in Gaza, he underwent surgery without anesthesia to remove the bullet from his leg. "No injection. Just a wet cloth in my mouth. They tell me 'You're not allowed to scream. If civilians outside hear you, they'll enter the house and I have no way to protect you.'"

During his time in Hamas captivity, he meets other hostages, and there Hamas terrorists never stop abusing the captives: "You find yourself begging – and they enjoy it. They know they're starving you."

Eliya was certain his partner had been killed in the shelter. "In my belief, in no scenario in the world did I imagine that she survived it. At first it was very difficult for me, understanding that I had lost my partner. From the day we met, we've lived together."

After the tunnel where he was held was bombed, he and Alon Ohel were transferred to a hiding place: "He can't see with one eye. In a condition that's probably not good. We sit, having many deep conversations. I tell him: don't forget where you came from and your family. We hug and cry, I tell him to be strong. I promise him that I'm going up, I don't say that I'm forgetting him."

After a long period in captivity, the big moment arrived and Eliya returned to Israel: "As soon as we get out of the ambulance, someone comes to me and says: Welcome to Israel. I look at her and say: 'This is the one who's going to give me the news.' And then she tells me: 'Well, your mom and dad are waiting for you at Kibbutz Re'im.' And then she tells me: 'And Ziv.' Eli-h can't believe it: "I tell her: 'What do you mean 'and Ziv'?', 'Are you kidding me?', she answers: 'No.' We both started crying hysterically, screaming in the car." I told her: 'You can send me back now for another 500 days, as long as you tell me again that Ziv is alive.'"

During the interview, he called on decision-makers to take action: "There are human beings underground, we need to find a solution. Sit at the negotiating table and figure out how to get these people out of there. In my eyes, it's a death sentence."