Hostage Survivor Eliya Cohen: ‘Our Brothers in Captivity are Weak, Hungry, and Missing Their Families’
Cohen said, "As long as my brothers are still hostage in Gaza, I am continuing, but I can't celebrate anything. What choice do I have but to continue? But to celebrate?"
Twitter
Eliya Cohen, who was released after 505 days in Hamas captivity, spoke publicly about his harrowing experience and his new book, "Mufawadat," during an interview with Keren Neubach on the Kan Reshet Bet radio program Seder Yom. Cohen emphasized that the remaining hostages are "weak, hungry, pale, and miss their families," while asserting that people must understand what he and others endured.
"Mufawadat means 'negotiation' in Arabic, and the word came from many points in captivity where I felt I was conducting a negotiation," Cohen explained, adding that he was constantly bartering for basic necessities like hygiene products and showers. He stated the book is a document that "every person in the world must know," highlighting his recent trip to the United States where people accused him of lying about his captivity.
"Our brothers are now there, they are woken up by screams, they are weak, hungry, pale, and miss their families," Cohen said.
He recounted a particularly difficult moment when he struggled with his faith. He prayed for a sign, and as if in answer, his captor fell asleep and the radio unexpectedly switched to an Israeli station. He heard a broadcast of Benny Gantz stating there were 250 hostages, a moment that gave him immense hope. "Suddenly, to hear all those details was insane for me," Cohen recalled. "It was the biggest sign in the world for me."
Cohen described the brutal conditions of being held 50 meters underground, where they were at the mercy of their captors, who could do "whatever they wanted." He spoke of being tied together with padlocks and being given only "one pita for the four of us" daily. He said a "shower day" came only once every two months, with each person receiving a bucket of "toilet water" to wash themselves.
Despite the hardships, he and his fellow captives made a point of finding "good things" to focus on to avoid losing their humanity. He shared a powerful message for fellow hostage Alon Ohel, with whom he was held captive.
"My dear and beloved brother, if you hear me, I want to tell you that I love you and haven't forgotten for a moment," Cohen said. "What I promised you in the last moment, I am fulfilling it. I make sure to mention your name everywhere so they know Alon Ohel is still a hostage in Gaza."