By admin 
An Israeli soldier, Nimrod Cohen, who has been held captive by Hamas since October 7, 2023, has sent a reassuring message to his family through recently released hostages. His father, Yehuda Cohen, confirmed that Nimrod conveyed, “I am okay. Don’t worry about me. I love you,” as part of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Gaza.
Nimrod, aged 20 and a gunner in an Israeli tank unit, was captured during a Hamas-led assault on the Nahal Oz army base. Tragically, his three crewmates—Cpt Omer Neutra, Sgt Shaked Dahan, and Sgt Oz Daniel—were killed during the attack. Currently, he is one of the last Israeli hostages still in Gaza and was not included in the initial phase of the hostage release deal.
Yehuda Cohen is actively advocating for his son’s release and is currently in Washington, D.C., on his fifth mission to rally support. He expressed confidence in his son’s eventual return, stating, “There is no doubt—he will return. He will come back alive and well.”
Yehuda has been vocal about his discontent with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s management of the hostage situation. He accused Netanyahu of undermining negotiations and claimed that U.S. President Donald Trump and investor Steven Witkoff have taken on mediating roles against the interests of the Israeli government. He criticized Netanyahu’s choice to appoint Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer to lead hostage talks, alleging Dermer had previously dismissed the likelihood of any hostages being alive.
As negotiations continue for a second phase of the hostage-ceasefire deal, Yehuda Cohen and other families of hostages have petitioned Israel’s High Court of Justice to compel the government to disclose full details of the ceasefire agreement. Yehuda emphasized their goal: ensuring that Netanyahu does not sabotage this next phase, which is expected to include his son.
Back home in Rehovot, the Cohen family remains dedicated to securing Nimrod’s return. Yehuda and his eldest son Yotam participate in protests on Tel Aviv’s Begin Road, while Nimrod’s mother Viki and twin sister Romi engage in silent demonstrations at Hostages Square.
Yehuda has also taken his advocacy to an international level, meeting with U.S. lawmakers and European officials to push for diplomatic action against Netanyahu if negotiations falter. He believes that Hamas is motivated to keep hostages alive—possibly more so than the Israeli government—and acknowledges that achieving Nimrod’s release will be a lengthy process.
The family continues to grapple with their situation; Yotam expressed mixed feelings about watching other hostages return home safely while lamenting those who did not make it back. The ongoing conflict has resulted in significant casualties on both sides, with around 73 hostages still believed to be in Gaza following Hamas’s initial attack that killed over 1,200 people in Israel.
Gill Bikram Singh