October 7 hostage Eliya Cohen speaks at UN with Nova survivor wife

Key Points:

• Eliya Cohen, a survivor of Hamas captivity for 505 days during the October 7, 2023, massacre in Israel, spoke at the United Nations about the severe abuse and inhumane conditions he endured, including being chained, starved, and deprived of basic hygiene.
• Cohen's wife, Ziv Abud, a survivor of the Nova music festival attack where 48 people she knew were killed, recounted the harrowing experience of hiding in a bomb shelter attacked by terrorists, losing loved ones, and surviving against overwhelming odds.
• Israeli survivor Oriya Berlin shared her experience as a soldier during the attack, emphasizing the unexpected scale and brutality of the assault and her continued commitment to speaking out despite facing hostility.
• U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz highlighted the significance of October 7 as a tragic turning point for Israel, praised Cohen's resilience, and expressed hope for regional peace and stability, noting shifts in Middle Eastern geopolitics.
• Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon criticized the U.N. for allegedly demonizing Israel and its soldiers, stressing the personal impact of the conflict on Israeli families, while Cohen and Abud expressed hope for a normal future and reaffirmed pride in their Jewish and Israeli identity.