WATCH: "Shema Yisrael in the shelter of death"  Former hostage recreates chilling last moments before abduction

Two months after his release from 505 days in Hamas captivity, former hostage Eliya Cohen returned to the “shelter of death” from which he was kidnapped during the October 7 massacre at the Nova music festival. In a deeply emotional visit, Cohen wrapped himself in tefillin and recited the prayer Shema Yisrael—the same prayer he said moments before his abduction. In a video shared on Instagram, Cohen stood once again in the small, concrete bunker where he and several others had sought refuge from the initial wave of attacks.

The visit to the shelter, now a painful symbol of the tragedy, served as both a personal moment of closure and a public act of remembrance. Alongside his partner Ziv Abud, Cohen had taken cover in the shelter with Ziv’s nephew, Amit Ben Avida, and Amit’s partner, Karin Schwartzman. Amit and Karin were tragically killed during the attack, while Cohen was kidnapped and held in Gaza for over 16 months. It was later revealed that Cohen had planned to propose to Ziv during the festival and had already purchased a ring.

Cohen’s emotional return included a tribute to the courage of those who were with him in the shelter. He recalled the bravery of Aner Shapira, who managed to throw out multiple grenades that Hamas terrorists had tossed into the shelter. Cohen described how Aner sacrificed himself to protect others, dying as he attempted to save lives. He also spoke about other victims, including Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was severely injured and later died in captivity.

Cohen’s release came as part of a hostage deal and included several other captives such as Omer Shem Tov, Omer Wenkert, Tal Shoham, Avera Mengistu, and Hisham al-Sayed. His return to the shelter has resonated widely, symbolizing both survival and the unhealed scars of the October 7 terror attack.

Ziv Abud posted a photo of herself and Eliya at the site with the caption: “I can’t write anything, just victory.”