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On the morning of October 7th, 2023, my family awoke to the blaring sounds of sirens in Rehovot, a city just 15 miles from Tel Aviv.
As thousands of rockets rained down on Israel, reports began emerging of a Hamas-led incursion into Israeli communities along the Gaza border, accompanied by livestreamed videos from the terrorists showing the horrific massacre.
My son, 19-year-old Nimrod Cohen, was serving in the Israel Defense Forces as a tank gunner near Gaza. As hours passed without any word from him, I turned to social media to gather more information. That’s when I stumbled upon a video on YouTube showing Hamas terrorists swarming a burning tank. Nimrod lay on the ground, helplessly being dragged away by an armed terrorist.
THE FORGOTTEN AMERICANS OF HAMAS’ TERRORIST MASSACRE ON OCTOBER 7TH
That day, 1,200 people were tortured, raped and slaughtered, and 247 people were taken hostage. Nimrod, now 20, remains among the 59 hostages still held in Gaza.
We later learned that the three other soldiers in Nimrod’s tank – Cpt. Omer Neutra, Sgt. Shaked Dahan and Sgt. Oz Daniel – were killed on that Black Saturday, leaving him as the sole survivor.
My family has spent the last 18 months in agonizing uncertainty. We have traveled the globe to raise awareness of the plight of our son and the other hostages who are held captive in a complex network of Hamas-built tunnels beneath the Gaza Strip. Tragically, we now know that 41 hostages died while held captive, seven were recovered by military operations and 147 released via a ceasefire deal. While it pains us to make such a deal that would lead to the release of terrorists from Israeli prisons, it is a sacrifice we are willing to make.
Thanks to the efforts of President Donald Trump and the U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, a ceasefire deal was finalized earlier this year, allowing for the release of some hostages. Two hostages freed during the first phase of the ceasefire confirmed that Nimrod is still alive. Tragically, we received heartbreaking details: he has been shackled, tortured, and kept in a cage. His mental health has deteriorated, and he is suffering from a skin disease and ear infection due to lack of medical care.
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Despite all of his pain and suffering, my Nimrod told those freed hostages to relay a simple message to his family: “I’m okay. Don’t worry about me. I love you.”
In the Jewish tradition, every individual is considered a universe unto themselves. This belief is deeply ingrained in the Israeli ethos, which emphasizes the importance of ensuring that no one is left behind. Therefore, when the ceasefire agreement collapsed and hostilities reignited last month, we were devastated as it meant that Nimrod’s life continues to hang in the balance, subject to the whims of a volatile and unpredictable conflict.
The United States has long been considered the leader of the free world. I implore the Trump administration to stay the course and continue applying diplomatic pressure to all parties involved, so that our family, the nation of Israel – and all those who believe in liberty – can begin to heal from the suffering caused by this brutal war.
When Nimrod was a teenager, he visited Madame Tussauds wax museum in London. We took a picture of Nimrod next to the wax figure of President Trump. I pray that one day soon, I can take a photo of my Nimrod with the leader I believe can end his suffering and bring this devastating conflict to a close.
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