The family of abducted soldier Nimrod Cohen announced Monday it will release video footage for the first time showing his abduction into Gaza on October 7, 2023. In the footage, Cohen is seen being led by Hamas terrorists into the Gaza Strip.
In a statement, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said: “This evening we will release new footage showing Nimrod being kidnapped and taken by Hamas terrorists into Gaza where he has been held in tunnels for 689 days.”
Last week, Cohen’s father Yehuda Cohen said the family had recently been shown footage captured by the Israeli military, including video from his time in captivity. He said the IDF has refused to release that footage publicly. Speaking at a press conference in Tel Aviv alongside other hostage families, Cohen urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to advance a deal following Hamas’s reported acceptance of a mediator proposal.
Yehuda Cohen said the family expects to soon publish videos of Nimrod from captivity. He told Ynet the IDF allowed them to view recordings seized in Gaza but has not handed the material over.
“They told us they were checking the possibility of releasing it. Weeks have gone by and they’re still checking. It’s pathetic,” Cohen said. “How long does it take to release a clip just a few seconds long? As his father, I have the right to receive any material about him, especially when it poses no risk to sources. Awareness is crucial — it’s not just so I can sit in my living room and watch Nimrod, it’s about public consciousness.”
Cohen added the video he was shown was not recent but more than a year old. “He says his name, that he is from Rehovot, something along the lines of ‘It’s time to release us.’ They filmed everyone and later decided when to release each video,” he said.