Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
October 8, 2025 Peace and security
Two years after his son was taken hostage in a Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, Yehuda Cohen continues to fight tirelessly for his release and for a lasting political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
On October 7, 2023, Corporal Nimrod Cohen was guarding an area near Kibbutz Nirim, near the Gaza border, when his tank malfunctioned. Nimrod was captured, and his unit comrades were killed. His father received reliable information, including from some of the freed hostages, that his son was still alive and in Gaza. He was last seen in the Khan Yunis area.
"An Ordinary Boy"
"Nimrod is an ordinary boy," Yehuda told the United Nations News Service.
"We're not talking about Nimrod because he's a rock star, a pop star, or a sports star. He's an ordinary guy who did his duty to his country and served in the army, and he was unlucky," he adds.
The attackers killed more than 1,250 Israelis and foreign citizens. More than 250 people were taken hostage, including women, children, and the elderly. Eyewitnesses to the events of October 7 described rape, sexual torture, and inhumane treatment.
"The Hamas attack was not carried out to liberate any territory or to do anything for the benefit of the Palestinian people. It was a vile attack aimed at breaking Israeli morale," Cohen said.
After the incident, Yehuda, his wife Vicky, and son Yotam joined the families of other hostages. They called on international leaders to pressure Hamas and the Israeli government to reach a ceasefire and release the hostages. The Cohen family met with the UN Secretary-General. Antonio Guterresand other high-ranking UN officials in New York and Geneva. The hostages' families also appealed to countries such as France and the United States.
Two-state solution
Cohen stated that it was a constant struggle: marches, rallies, demonstrations on the streets of Israel, appearances in local and international media. All aimed at reaching out to world leaders and telling them that "pressure must be applied to both sides" of the conflict—the Israeli government and the militants.
“I even talk to the Palestinians,” he continued, emphasizing that the release of the hostages and the end of the conflict would benefit both Israel and the entire Middle East.
Israelis and Palestinians alike aspire to a normal life, which is not consistent with the extremist views of some members of the Israeli government or Hamas, he added.
"We want to live a normal life side by side, and the only way to achieve that is by reaching an agreement between Israel and the Palestinians so that in the future we can say 'Israel and Palestine'; that's a two-state solution. There is no other way," Cohen added.
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