Eliya Cohen survived the harrowing ordeal and he’s now home. A different kind of struggle awaits him as he reenters the world after spending 505 days imprisoned. Cohen with a relative, Yahel Giat, before being taken hostage during the assault on the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023. Today, he can hardly begin to return to what is considered normal society. The depth of devastation his experiences have wrought on him forms the basis of serious physical anguish and mental distress. Because of that, he feels lost in the world today.
Cohen’s captivity was characterized by extreme conditions. For those eight months, he suffered night after night sleeping on the rough ground underneath a cramped dark culvert. The crowded conditions almost always made him dislocate his shoulder. He stretched limited supplies of pita bread and canned beans among fellow hostages Or Levy, Eli Sharabi and Alon Ohel. Together, they fought through an uncertain time. Showering was an incredible luxury for him, a treat he could only afford once every two months. In fact, he let an entire year go by without brushing his teeth!
Life in Captivity
As with so many other captives, the physical toll of captivity weighed heavily on Cohen. He documented his deterioration, how day after day he became more and more fragile and exposed until months had passed. His time in the dark tunnel where he was held served as a potent symbol of the despair. Its suffocating environment never let anyone forget just how bad things were.
Drawing on his own experience, Cohen remembered those times in captivity when hope felt impossible. “I can’t express how it felt to be there,” he said, on the poignant moments of collaborating with other previous hostages. And that bond they built in those worst of conditions was something very powerful. They leaned on each other for support, freely sharing their fears and dreams.
Even in her dismal circumstances, Cohen held onto one thin thread that connected her to the outside world. He found solace in thoughts of his then-girlfriend, Ziv Abud. He made contact with her at every opportunity, doing his best to determine her outcome during the storm’s devastation. “I talked with Ziv a lot … trying to check if she’s alive or not,” he recalled. Their tender interactions brought short lived solace in times of hopelessness.
Separation and Guilt
The separation moment with Abud had a profound impact on Cohen. He was injured in the leg in the first strike of the attack at the music festival. Today, he’s still battling to rouse himself from the nightmare that ensued. “I was really sure that she died. There is no chance that she survived that,” he admitted. This conviction haunted him throughout his captivity.
Cohen’s release didn’t bring Cohen the peace he was hoping for. Instead, he is burdened with survivor’s guilt. “I feel guilty when I eat. I feel guilty when I get showered. I feel guilty when I go to the hospital,” he expressed, underscoring the emotional turmoil that accompanies his newfound freedom. The knowledge that others are still behind bars troubles his soul.
His heart goes out with profound empathy to those still unfairly confined. This includes Alon Ohel, the last remaining hostage who experienced much of Cohen’s ordeal. “I feel guilty because I know what they are going through right now,” Cohen stated as he urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to return to negotiations for the safe return of all hostages.
A Call for Action
Cohen’s emotional arc is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of seemingly impossible odds. To him, that is just the way it is given his experiences. They further draw attention to the need for the US to advocate urgently for those still held in captivity. He is convinced that formal negotiations are crucial to ensuring that all the hostages return home.
“I believe they can bring all the hostages home in the same way I came home,” he declared, reflecting hope amidst despair. With each desperate plea for action, his rage reverberates through and amplifies. More importantly, it resonates deeply with families who desperately await information about their missing loved ones.
As Cohen navigates life post-captivity, he faces a dual struggle: healing from physical wounds while managing the emotional aftermath of his experience. His journey is just beginning as he searches for comfort and acceptance in a world that no longer feels like home.
