As the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas nears its end, 59 hostages remain captive in tunnels in Gaza, including Nimrod Cohen, a 19-year-old soldier abducted from Nahal Oz on October 7, 2023. Now 20 years old, he remains in captivity. His mother, Vicky Cohen, has spent the past 17 months fighting to bring him home. She spoke to The Media Line about her frustration with the Israeli government, the missed opportunity to continue negotiations, and her desperate hope for her son’s return.
TML: The cease-fire allowed for the release of some hostages, but Nimrod was not among them. How did your family cope with that?
Vicky Cohen: It’s a very, like you said, complex situation. It’s a hard time for our family and for all the families of the hostages still in Gaza, especially those who were not supposed to be released in the first phase of the deal. From the beginning, we knew that the first phase of the hostage release deal focused on women and children. But after so many days, I believe all the hostages are humanitarian cases. They all should have been released—even the soldiers.
Nimrod is a soldier, and we expected that he would be released only in the second phase. But now, our government does not want to continue the deal. Our prime minister is doing what he can to continue the first phase of the deal, but Hamas demanded from the beginning of the war that Israel stop the war in exchange for the hostages. The deal had three phases. The first phase is over, and the second one should begin. But our government is refusing to continue. They are breaking the agreement.
They are willing to return all the hostages—all of them together—but on the condition that Israel must stop the war and withdraw from Gaza. And this is what our government refuses to do. This is the main issue, and we are stuck in the middle. Our loved ones are still in the tunnels. We know that Nimrod has been in a tunnel for over a year and five months. It’s unbearable. It’s terrifying. I don’t know what he is going through. I don’t know his mental or physical condition. I just don’t know.
And this is the situation—we are not sure what will happen. We are waiting to see what our prime minister intends to do. I think there are members of the coalition who want to continue the war, and we know that war is dangerous.
The hostages are still there. We know from experience that hostages have been killed during military operations. And I, as a mother, do not know when I will see my son Nimrod back home.
I was upset that hostages came back in waves, but not all of them. It is killing us. It means those still in captivity are left behind. For us—the families—it is unbearable: the tension, the waiting, the fear. Seeing other hostages return while knowing ours are still there. It’s impossible to live like this. And it’s not just us—the hostage families. All of Israeli society wants all the hostages to come home. We cannot rebuild or heal from this trauma if they are not back. It’s not just about the families. It’s about the country as a whole.
TML: Do you have any new information from freed hostages about Nimrod? Has anyone seen him?
Vicky Cohen: The most recent sign of life we got from Nimrod was in a Hamas video released last Saturday. In the video, the brothers Iair and Eitan Horn were hugging, and other hostages were beside them. We recognized Nimrod because of the tattoo on his arm. It was the first visual confirmation that he is alive. We were all excited. We watched the video on a loop, over and over, just to see him moving. But he has been in a tunnel for over a year and five months. He is not exposed to the outside world. We don’t know his mental state.
TML: Do you feel the Israeli government missed an opportunity to secure the hostages’ release? Do you think they are doing everything they can?
Vicky Cohen: No, I don’t think so. Not at all. We have heard Hamas say clearly—even now—that they are willing to release all of the hostages together. But they have their conditions. And those conditions have not changed since the beginning. They insist that the war must stop and that the Israeli military must withdraw from Gaza. And our government refuses.
Our prime minister thinks he might lose his coalition if he moves toward accepting these terms. This is a political conflict—but it should not be political. These are human lives we are talking about. The government must bring them home—not just the living, but also the bodies that remain in Gaza. They deserve to be buried with dignity. Netanyahu is afraid to lose power, but his coalition has nowhere to go if he accepts the deal to release the hostages. After they are released, the IDF will be able to go after Hamas with even more strength, as there won’t be hostages at risk in the middle of a war zone.
TML: Do you believe there is a price that is too high to pay for the hostages’ release?
Vicky Cohen: No. From my understanding, no price is too high—it is not an easy decision. I understand the concerns of those in government. But to save lives, you must pay any price. We can deal with Hamas later. Right now, the priority is to bring home the 59 hostages who are still there. This is what must be done. Now.
Hamas can, and should, be dealt with later. We know Hamas has broken cease-fires before. But we have the support of the Americans. We can deal with Hamas later—after we bring the hostages home.
TML: What do you say to those who believe that the war must continue to eliminate Hamas?
Vicky Cohen: Hamas is an idea. It is complicated to destroy an idea. And after more than a year of war, we have not destroyed them. We cannot destroy Hamas while the hostages are still there. Their presence limits the military’s actions. The first thing that must be done is to release the hostages. Then, the military will have more freedom to act.
TML: Do you see both Hamas and the Israeli government as complicating the release of the hostages?
Vicky Cohen: I blame Hamas, but I also blame the Israeli government. Ending this war depends on our government. They must decide what their priority is. If their priority is to “finish Hamas,” I don’t believe that’s possible. We have been fighting for over a year, and we have not destroyed Hamas.
So the choice is clear—either continue chasing an impossible goal or save lives. That is the actual decision.
TML: How do you feel about the fact that many civilians in Gaza still support Hamas?
Vicky Cohen: I’m not sure about that. I think most of the people in Gaza don’t want Hamas. What good has Hamas done for them? They steal food meant for civilians. They bring war upon Gaza. Deep down, I believe most Gazans do not want Hamas to rule them anymore.
TML: If you could send a message to Nimrod right now, what would you say?
Vicky Cohen: Nimrod, we love you so much. We are doing everything to bring you home. Please believe that. Believe that you are coming home soon. I will hug you again and tell you how much I love you.
TML: And to the Israeli government?
Vicky Cohen: I beg you—do the right thing. Even if it costs the government, saving lives must come first. Our people are waiting to go home. I am begging, not asking—begging—for you to bring them back now.