Former Hamas captive marries partner after harrowing 505-day ordeal
Eliya Cohen, who survived 505 days of captivity by Hamas, wed Ziv Abud in Israel, marking the couple's reunion after the Oct. 7 attack.
Eliya Cohen and Ziv Abud were at the Nova Music Festival when Hamas militants attacked on Oct. 7, prompting a scramble for safety on Route 232. In the ensuing chaos, Ziv hid among the dead, while Cohen was abducted along with other hostages and taken to Gaza, where he spent 505 days chained, tortured and suffering an untreated bullet wound. A tragic shelter massacre claimed the lives of Ziv’s nephew Amit Ben Avida and his girlfriend Karin Schwarzman.
Cohen was eventually freed in February 2025, after a graphic video of his captivity circulated. The couple learned of Cohen’s planned proposal only after his release, and they celebrated their marriage at Ronit Farm with roughly 1,000 attendees.
Why it matters
The wedding highlights personal resilience and the lasting human impact of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack.
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