“They Told us Something Completely Different”

IFCJ Canada  |  October 30, 2025

When Nimrod Cohen was in the dark tunnels beneath Gaza at the mercy of Hamas, the terror group would taunt him and the other hostages by telling them that no one in Israel was coming to get them nor doing anything to aid their return – creating an environment of despair. But when Cohen was returned to Israel along with the remaining living hostages, Ynet reports that he returned home to quite the opposite.

Cohen’s family showed him pictures of the numerous rallies, marches, and events all held in his and the other hostages’ names. “Wow,” Cohen said, “I can’t believe it. They told us something completely different.”

“There were interrogations and all kinds of torture, at least at the beginning, right after the brutal abduction,” she (Cohen’s mother) recounted. “There were many moments of fear, horror, anxiety and uncertainty. They were threatened constantly. Most of the time he was kept in a tunnel—it was not simple.”

She also reflected on the toll the family paid. “Yes, we paid a heavy price. We knew we would, whether it was the exhaustion, the emotional strain or the loss of privacy. We didn’t want exposure or publicity, but to fight this battle, we had to show who Nimrod is—that he’s not just a photo on a poster, but a person with a full life.”

The first thing Cohen did when he returned home was go right to his room, which was left just as it was 738 days ago. His mother and family say that this was the first of many steps on the road to healing his trauma and bouncing back to the life he once lived.

Cohen’s story is one of many of resilience and bravery. With the return of the remaining hostages and pressure to release the remaining deceased ones, Israel and her people are proclaiming “no more!”

IFCJ Canada recognizes the long road ahead to recovery for Cohen and his family and many more in the Holy Land, and we will always be there for those who need our help the most. Not only did the Israeli people keep the hostages in their prayers and hearts, but so have our generous supporters.