Signs Of Life From 7 More Hostages – But Concern About Their Conditions In Captivity

JERUSALEM (VINnews) —The release of hostages during the current ceasefire deal has brought with it new and encouraging information, as signs of life from seven additional hostages, whose fate was not known until now, have been received. However only one of them, Eliya Cohen, is due to be released as part of the current phase.

In addition to Cohen, Israel has received signs of life from six other hostages: twins Gali and Ziv Berman, Elkana Bohbot, Nimrod Cohen, Omri Miran and Alon Ohel. Cohen and Ohel were kidnapped from the same bomb shelter as Hersh Goldberg (later murdered in captivity) and Ohr Levy (released last week from Hamas tunnels).

The details of Cohen’s conditions in captivity were a cause for concern. Avishag Levy, whose cousin Eliya Cohen was abducted from the site of a music festival, told a parliamentary session that she had heard from ex-hostages over the weekend that he was being held in chains, and suffering from malnutrition and torture.

Idit Ohel said that she fainted upon hearing the brutal details of her son’s captivity from freed hostages who had been held with him by Hamas since Oct. 7, 2023. Bound by chains in an underground tunnel, Alon Ohel has subsisted on a piece of bread or less each day.

Ziv and Gali Berman, 27, were being held in separate locations, said their aunt Makabit Mayer, citing information from a former hostage. Maccabit said in an interview with Channel 12 News: “We started to breathe and were really excited to hear that they are alive. There was a lot of excitement, their father, Doron, he is disabled, suffering from a very complex disorder, but he cried tears of happiness.”

Nadav Miran, the brother of 47-year-old Omri Miran, told Israeli news website Walla that recently released hostages had last seen him in July 2024. Omri Miran was seen in a Hamas video released in April last year.

In the meantime,Hamas has rejected the ultimatum set by President Trump, according to which ‘if the hostages are not released by Saturday, fighting will resume.’ Hamas claims that it is committed to the ceasefire “as long as the occupation is committed to it.” The terrorist group also accused Israel of failing to meet its obligations and blamed it for “delays and complications” in the process.