After the complex period and a decade of partnership: Hostage survivor and his partner get married

Eliya Cohen, a hostage survivor, and his partner Ziv Avod, both 29, are getting married this evening at Ronit Farm in front of 1,000 guests, after ten years of partnership. Chief Rabbi David Lau is officiating the wedding. Cohen, who was abducted from the Nova party on October 7, is standing on his feet and breaking the glass, just months after a complex surgery on his crushed foot. The couple recently celebrated a traditional henna evening and an engagement party with other hostage survivors.

Eliya Cohen, a hostage survivor, and his partner Ziv Avod, both 29, are walking to the chuppah this evening (Wednesday, August 19, 2026) at Ronit Farm, in a moving event that comes after ten years of partnership. The Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi David Lau, is officiating the wedding. Over 1,000 guests have come to celebrate, cry, and rejoice with the couple. Eliya is standing on his feet tonight and breaking the glass, overcoming his anxieties and the complex surgery he underwent on his crushed foot last April. The wedding takes place about ten months after Cohen pulled out the ring, which he had planned to pull out shortly after the black Saturday on which he was abducted. In July, the couple held a traditional henna evening, where Eliya wore a robe embroidered with the number of his days in captivity, 505, alongside the inscription "Thank you, Dad." In January, they celebrated an engagement party alongside other hostage survivors. Their love story began at age 14 in high school and reignited years later. On October 7, Eliya was abducted from the Nova party to Gaza. While he was held captive, Ziv led a global struggle for his return. In February 2025, he returned. The circle was closed in a Save The Date video where they recreated the moment she waited for him in a red dress on the promenade.