Eliya Cohen, a resident of Tzur Hadassah who was released Saturday from Hamas captivity, met his girlfriend Ziv for the first time since the October 7 massacre.

In meeting Ziv, Eliya discovered that she was not killed in the "bomb shelter of death" during the massacre, but survived the ordeal.

Eliya and Ziv attended the Nova music festival in the early hours of October 7. When the terrorists arrived, the two hid in a nearby bomb shelter, where they were fired on by Hamas terrorists. ZIv succeeded in surviving by hiding under the dead bodies around her, and Eliya was kidnapped to Gaza.

"I can't believe you're alive," he told her.

Before he was kidnapped, Eliya bought a ring, and planned to propose to Ziv; he was kidnapped to Gaza before he could do so.

During his helicopter flight on Saturday, Eliya wrote on the whiteboard: "I'm not your age, PPP," as a sort of private joke.

Following his release, Eliya's family said: "We are overwhelmed with emotion and gratitude for Eliya's return home after 505 long and torturous days in captivity. On October 7th, Eliya was brutally kidnapped while wounded and bleeding after attending the Nova festival. He was taken from a shelter where he had left his girlfriend, who survived, and her nephew, who was murdered on that cursed day, as he was dragged into hell."

"Seeing him today strengthens us and gives us great hope for the long rehabilitation process ahead. This is a moment of immense relief for us, for his friends, and for everyone who held onto hope and prayed for his return. We want to thank the IDF soldiers, the fighters, the Hostages Families Forum, our family liaison officer Amit, and especially all citizens of Israel for their embrace, support, and unwavering faith. Many prayers were answered today, and we thank everyone who accompanied us on this long journey.

"Finally, Eliya can be surrounded by his loved ones, his family, and his girlfriend, and begin a new path. We ask the media and the public to respect his privacy and the emotional and physical rehabilitation process he is about to undergo."