On Wednesday, the third anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks, pro-Hamas demonstrators shouted antisemitic slogans in New York City as Mayor Zohran Mamdani faced criticism over rhetoric critics said inflamed tensions.
The protests came one day after freed hostage Eliya Cohen described his 505 days in Hamas captivity in a speech that deserves to be heard by Mamdani and others who have minimized or excused the group’s conduct.
Cohen, like many other hostages—including his now-wife, Ziv Aboud—endured abuse that was difficult to comprehend. His account portrayed his captors as perpetrators of deliberate and extreme cruelty.
“They didn’t let me change clothes or take a shower, or even eat or drink,” Cohen said. “They chained me with heavy iron chains by my leg.” He spoke during an emotional conversation with Dr. Phil McGraw at Israel’s United Nations commemoration on Tuesday.
Cohen said the captors kept the lights on to deprive hostages of sleep and repeatedly entered their confinement at night, screaming to terrify them. He also said the captives were denied access to a restroom and that, at times, simply staying alive seemed nearly impossible.
Yet after enduring conditions that would have shattered many people, Cohen offered a defiant response when Dr. Phil asked what he would say to the terrorists if given the opportunity. “I won,” he replied, raising his fingers in the air. “And you’re probably underground in your tunnels.”
Or, he added, dead. Watch:
After 505 days in Hamas captivity in Gaza, Eliya Cohen delivered a powerful message at the United Nations during a conversation with Dr. Phil. @DrPhil https://t.co/4gUvOv7WR8
— StandWithUs (@StandWithUs) October 7, 2026
Cohen’s account recalls the treatment endured by Evyatar David, who was forced to appear in Hamas propaganda videos. In one recording, he was made to dig his own grave while reportedly nearing death. David was released in 2025 and survived, though he continues to experience severe post-traumatic stress and flashbacks.
This is Evyatar David. Hamas abducted him from the Nova festival on Oct. 7 and held him in a tunnel before recording and distributing this video. His ribs and arms are visible, as is the narrow shaft where he was kept. Critics say the footage shows deliberate starvation by his captors, while Hamas blamed Gaza’s suffering on an alleged famine. The video lasts 15 seconds. Its author argues that news organizations devoted far more attention to other images and largely overlooked this one. Never forget.
— Mor Edge Insight (@MorEdge_Insight) October 5, 2026
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This is Evyatar David. Hamas abducted him from the Nova festival on Oct. 7, took him into a tunnel and later filmed him there.
The footage shows his ribs, his arms and the confined shaft where he was held. Critics describe the scene as evidence that his captors intentionally starved him, even as Hamas and its supporters said Gaza itself was suffering from famine.
The clip is only 15 seconds long. Its circulation, however, drew far less attention than other images from the conflict, according to the post’s author.
Never forget.
David should not be blamed for appearing in propaganda under coercion. Cohen, however, said he refused when his captors tried to force him into a similar performance.
Mike Waltz, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said Hamas attempted to make Cohen record a video the night before his release, falsely claiming that he had been treated well. “He refused,” Waltz said. “He held firm. He said no.”
Waltz said Hamas made another attempt to use Cohen’s release for propaganda the following day, positioning him in front of cameras and directing him to raise his hands.
“He refused again,” Waltz said. “Eliya, we salute you. I salute you.” Calling Cohen “a proud, strong Jew,” Waltz added, “You’re undefeated, man,” his voice breaking with emotion.
Other survivors told of their horrific experiences. Cohen’s wife Ziv, whom he married in January 2026 following their 2025 release, recounted that she hid in a bomb shelter when the savages attacked the Nova Music Festival. It was designed for eight, but 29 desperate attendees crammed in. Hamas eventually bombarded it with grenades, and Ziv only survived because she became covered in bodies… and body parts.
The stories are so satanic that it is absolutely incomprehensible to me that so many in America try to minimize the actions of Hamas demons and blame Israel for the entire problem. I’ll paraphrase what I wrote Wednesday about the pro-terrorist protests that engulfed Mamdani’s NYC: There’s a sickness infecting many Americans, and it needs to be stomped out — with prejudice.
Editor’s Note: New York City is now facing the consequences of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s socialist takeover.
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