Sigi Cohen, mother of Eliya Cohen who was freed from Hamas captivity on Saturday, gave a statement to the media on Sunday evening, in which she spoke about her son’s observance of mitzvot during his time in captivity.
“For 505 days, we did everything we could to bring Eliya back home—a daily struggle with decision-makers, and especially in raising awareness among the people of Israel about the hostages, both men and women, who are still held in captivity,” she said at the start of her remarks.
“I asked the people of Israel to stand together, to act with mutual responsibility and be there for one another like brothers and sisters. Most of all, I asked them to increase their prayers and good deeds. On Eliya’s side, we heard that every day he recited the passages for laying tefillin, which he knew by heart, and made Kiddush over a cup of water. He strengthened himself and uplifted others.”
“We heard about many miracles and divine providence that Eliya and his friends experienced there. All these feelings deserve to be felt by the 63 families of the hostages who are still there. They all must return home immediately before it’s too late,” said the mother.
She addressed the hostages still in captivity, saying, “Alon Ohel and anyone who can hear me from the depths of the earth, I want to tell you—you are not alone, and we are here fighting for you until you return home.”
“I want to first thank the Creator of the universe for bringing Eliya back to me. And my second thanks goes to so many people from all walks of life. So as not to miss anyone, I say to the dear people of Israel, in all its diversity—thank you for being with us throughout this entire period. You came from near and far, you supported us, encouraged us, and strengthened us. Without you, we wouldn’t have succeeded. Thank you. The people of Israel live and are strong.”
Meanwhile, Channel 12 News reported that Cohen was injured during the October 7, 2023 attack, and that Hamas performed surgery on him to remove bullets from his body, without anesthesia. In addition, the terrorists demanded that he not make a sound during the procedure.
