(October 7, 2025)

The attackers killed more than 1,250 Israelis and foreign nationals. More than 250 others were abducted and taken to Gaza as hostages, including women, children and the elderly.

Survivors and witnesses have described rape, sexualized torture and other forms of cruel and inhumane treatment carried out during the assault.

“The Hamas attack was done not to release any territories or to do any good for the Palestinian people. It was a heinous attack to try to break the morale of the Israeli people,” Mr. Cohen said.

Following the shock of the attack, he, his wife Viki and son Yotam, have joined other hostages and families to urge international leaders to press both Hamas and the Israeli Government to agree a ceasefire and hostage release deal.

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Israelis and Palestinians have the same yearning to live normal lives, which is not in line with the extremist views of some members of the Israeli Government or of Hamas, he said.

“We want to have a normal life together, and the only way is to do a settlement between Israel and the Palestinians. So, in the future, we can say Israel and Palestine; and this is the two-State solution. [There is] No other way,” Mr. Cohen added.