After a decade together and the trauma of captivity: Elia Cohen and Ziv Avod marry

Hostage survivor Elia Cohen and his 29-year-old partner, Ziv Avod, stood under the chuppah this evening (Wednesday) at Havat Ronit, marking the culmination of a ten-year relationship. The wedding was officiated by the Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi David Lau.

Over 1,000 guests gathered to celebrate with the couple. Elia, who underwent complex surgery on his shattered foot just last April and had feared he might not be able to stand for his own wedding, stood tall as he broke the glass, marking a personal victory over the trauma he endured.

The wedding took place ten months after Cohen retrieved the ring he had planned to give Ziv shortly before the events of October 7, when he was kidnapped from the Nova festival to the Gaza Strip. During his abduction, his leg was shattered while he was hiding in a shelter.

The journey to this evening was marked by deeply moving milestones. In July, the couple held a traditional henna ceremony where Elia wore a shirt embroidered with the number 505—the days he spent in captivity—alongside the inscription, "Dad, thank you." Earlier in January, they celebrated their engagement alongside other hostage survivors.

Their love story began when they were 14 years old in high school, and it was rekindled years later after Ziv responded to one of Elia's social media stories from a Tel Aviv bar. While Elia was held in harsh conditions, Ziv led a tireless and global campaign for his return. One of the most iconic images of that period was of Ziv in a red dress, sitting alone at a table for two on the Tel Aviv promenade, waiting for him.

Elia returned in February 2025. In their "Save The Date" video for the wedding, the couple recreated that poignant scene, but this time, Elia was finally sitting in the chair opposite her.