In a moving tribute to courage and friendship forged under the most harrowing circumstances, released hostage Eliya Cohen has fulfilled a solemn promise made to his fellow captive Ori Danino. The promise, made during their shared captivity before Danino's death, culminated in the dedication of a Torah scroll bearing Danino's poignant words: "I want to be good enough for the world to be the person I would want to spend time with."
The emotional ceremony brought together Danino's parents and Cohen, who used the occasion to share previously unknown details about their time in captivity. These revelations painted a picture of extraordinary heroism in the face of brutal treatment by their captors.
"We sat there, each of us telling our story," Cohen recounted at the ceremony. On October 7, though he initially managed to escape from the Nova music festival, Danino made the selfless decision to return when he heard calls for help. This act of bravery led to his capture while attempting to save Maya and Itay Regev, along with Omer Shem Tov. "He told me, 'Eliya, I left the party and managed to escape. Someone I didn't know called me for help. Nothing mattered to me. I went there to save them, not knowing if I would return.'"
Cohen described Danino's remarkable resilience despite serious injury. "He was incredibly strong. He had a bullet in his shoulder. When I reached the tunnel, he asked me to sit beside him. We became really good friends. I love you, and it's an honor for me to tell you these things," Cohen said to Danino's family.
Released hostage Eliya Cohen was initially held in captivity with murdered hostage Ori Danino, z''l.
Before his death, Ori made Eliya promise that if he survived, he would ensure a Torah scroll was written in his memory. Yesterday, Eliya fulfilled that promise.
In a ceremony… pic.twitter.com/FFMA4WE55m
— Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) February 27, 2025
According to Cohen's testimony, Danino demonstrated extraordinary courage during their captivity. He reportedly confronted one of his captors physically, causing significant injury. In the first days of captivity, Danino also fought to ensure proper medical treatment for fellow hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who had suffered a severe hand injury during the kidnapping.
"Ori Danino punched the terrorist who kidnapped him, breaking his skull and causing him to lose his sight," Cohen revealed. "In the first few days, Ori physically fought with the terrorists so that they would treat the hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, whose hand was blown off during the kidnapping. Thanks to his struggle, the wound was closed. The terrorists were afraid of him."
Eliya Cohen has finally returned home after surviving 505 days in Hamas captivity in Gaza. His journey of healing and hope begins now. Welcome home, Eliya. ♥️🎗️🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/DHlgk5DeJD
— StandWithUs (@StandWithUs) February 25, 2025
Danino was executed by Hamas, along with Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Carmel Gat, Alexander Lobanov, and Almog Sarusi, just days before they were found by the IDF in Gaza and recovered to Israel. Danino was buried on September 1, 2024, in Mount Herzl cemetery in Jerusalem. Cohen was released in a hostage exchange deal on February 22, 2025.
