Family of Hostage Soldier Nimrod Cohen Releases Footage of His Abduction

Tel Aviv, Israel — The family of soldier Nimrod Cohen, who has been held hostage in Gaza for 689 days, released new video footage on Monday showing his abduction by Hamas gunmen on October 7, 2023. The first images from the video were made public earlier in the day.

In a statement, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum emphasized the importance of the footage, which shows Cohen being led into Gaza by Hamas terrorists. Vicky Cohen, Nimrod’s mother, expressed her anguish, saying, “The horror video we are releasing today has been going on for 689 days. Every minute, every second is an eternity.”

Cohen’s mother described the video as a nightmare for every mother in Israel, adding, “My child is helpless, taken and dragged cruelly into hell, and as his mother, I can do nothing—only watch in total helplessness.” She appealed to the Israeli government and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to ensure a comprehensive deal for her son’s return.

She stated, “Step into my shoes, a mother who has not breathed for 689 days and nights. You have no right to prevent my child from coming home.” Ahead of a planned protest, Vicky Cohen called on the public to join demonstrations, saying, “This time we will do it differently. Let’s show our elected leaders our strength together.”

Nimrod’s brother, Yotam, also criticized the government for failing to respond to previous proposals for his brother’s release. He said, “Netanyahu’s government doesn’t even bother to respond to Hamas’ positive answer, and every passing day condemns Nimrod to torture and death.”

Last week, Nimrod’s father, Yehuda Cohen, expressed frustration that the Israeli army had not released further footage of his son. He stated during a press conference, “How long does it take to release a video of just a few seconds? Awareness is critical.” He noted that the video he viewed was more than a year old.

Nimrod was due to be discharged from military service earlier this month but remains in captivity. His mother lamented, “Today he enters permanent service—without ever choosing it.”