Goldberg-Polin survived almost 11 months in underground tunnels following his capture but was killed alongside other hostages in August 2024, while still in captivity. He was 23 at the time of his death. “According to our initial assessment, they were brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists shortly before we reached them,” then- IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said. Goldberg-Polin was abducted at a music festival in southern Israel during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack against the Jewish State. He lost part of his left arm to
a grenade in the attack. Eliya Cohen survived 505 days in captivity. He faced extreme starvation, was kept chained in tunnels, and had surgery for a gunshot wound without anesthesia. He was released in February 2025 as part of a negotiated deal. Or Levy survived 491 days in captivity. He endured harsh conditions and only learned after his release that his wife, Einav, had been killed in the Oct. 7 attack. He has since reunited with his young son. Alon Ohel spent more than two
years as a hostage in Gaza until his release in October last year. A talented pianist, he endured starvation, torture and serious eye injuries from a grenade. He was freed on Oct. 13, 2025, through a U.S.-brokered deal and returned home to recover. He now performs with Israeli artists.
IDF, Hamas, hostage abduction, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eliya Cohen, Or Levy, Einav Levy, Alon Ohel, Oct. 7 attack, Israel strikes, Daniel Hagari