Nimrod Cohen (Hebrew: נמרוד כהן; born 15 July 2004) is an Israeli former hostage who was abducted byHamas on7 October 2023 while serving in theIsraeli Defence Forces (IDF). He was held captive in theGaza Strip for more than two years under harsh conditions and was released on 13 October 2025 as part of a negotiated agreement.
Early life
Cohen is the son of Vicky and Yehuda.[1][2] He has a twin sister, Romi,[3][4] and an older brother, Yotam.[5] The family lives inRehovot.[6][7] He attended Ramon Elementary School and later pursued a science track at ORT Rehovot.[8] Alongside his studies, he volunteered as a youth instructor in wilderness and navigation programs,[5] before enlisting in theIDF Armored Corps.[9]
Abduction
Cohen served as part of a 77th Battalion tank crew, under the command of CaptainOmer Neutra; Cohen was the gunner of Neutra's tank, and besides him, the crew included driver Shaked Dahan and loader/radio operator Oz Daniel. On 7 October 2023, duringHamas's coordinated assault on Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip, Cohen's tank was positioned near an outpost known as "the White House," between KibbutzNir Oz andKibbutz Nirim, and headed towards theborder fence, but was ambushed byHamas militants and disabled. AnIDF investigation later determined that the tank's active defense system malfunctioned before the vehicle was struck by eitheranti-tank missiles or an explosive device, setting it on fire forcing the crew to abandon it.[10][11][12]
Mural inRehovot depicting Nimrod Cohen, painted while he was still held inGaza, commemorating his captivity.
Footage released that morning showedHamas militants dragging the soldiers from the burningtank and abducting them.[13][7][14] TheIDF later confirmed that Cohen's three crewmates were killed on the same day, leaving Cohen as the sole survivor of his crew.[15][16][17][7]
Captivity
Cohen was held inGaza for over two years and was not included in the first two hostage-exchange agreements.[18] During captivity, a small number of signs of life were received, including a brief message relayed by a released hostage:"I'm okay, love you."[19] In March 2025, he was identified in aHamas video by a tattoo visible on his arm.[20][21]
Released hostages later reported that Cohen endured harsh physical and psychological conditions. Because of his status as an IDF soldier, he was subjected to interrogations and torture, at times held in a small cage, and shown footage of his friends being killed. Testimony also indicated that he developed an untreated ear infection due to tunnel conditions and a severe skin rash that received no medical care.[22][23]
Vicky Cohen, mother of Nimrod Cohen, in the "Mothers and Women Protest" on day 635 of the war, calling for an end to the fighting and the return of all hostages, outside the Shaul Gate at the Tel Aviv Citadel.
Cohen's captivity drew sustained public attention and activism. In the aftermath of the October 7Hamas attack, Cohen's parents and brother joined other families of captives to urge international leaders to pressure bothHamas and theIsraeli government to reach aceasefire and hostage release agreement. The Cohen family held meetings withUnited Nations Secretary-GeneralAntónio Guterres and other seniorUN officials inNew York andGeneva. They also lobbied various Member States, including France and the United States, as part of an organized campaign to secure the release of their relatives.[7][5][24] Cohen's father Yehuda became among the most outspoken critics ofBenjamin Netanyahu's handling of the hostage crisis, and repeatedly called for an end to theGaza war.[25][26][27]
His 20th and 21st birthdays were marked with public events inRehovot and atHostages Square inTel Aviv[28], featuring performances by Israeli artists and calls for his release.[29][30] Advocacy efforts continued until the announcement of his freedom in 2025.
Release
After 738 days in captivity, on 13 October 2025, Cohen was released alongside 19 other hostages as part of the third Israel–Hamas hostage-release agreement.[31]
.jpg)
