Hamas attack survivor waits six months for captive boyfriend's release

In the six months since she survived Hamas' Oct. 7 attack by hiding beneath a pile of bodies at an outdoor music festival turned killing field in southern Israel, Ziv Abud has devoted all her time to freeing her hostage boyfriend.

In the six months since she survived Hamas' Oct. 7 attack by hiding beneath a pile of bodies at an outdoor music festival turned killing field in southern Israel, Ziv Abud has devoted all her time to freeing her hostage boyfriend. Abud, 26, and her boyfriend Eliya Cohen were among party-goers at the Nova festival that was attacked by Hamas gunmen. Cohen was taken captive and is among the over 130 people still being held. Hamas' attack sparked the devastating war in Gaza.

"We need more effort, we actually need to do more things in order to release them, because apparently what we are doing is not enough," said Abud in a square in Tel Aviv that has become a protest spot for families of hostages and their supporters. "I expected them to arrive home by now, alive, because to return hostages in coffins is not a picture of victory."

Many hostages' families are demanding the Israeli government does whatever it takes to secure their release from Gaza and are trying to increase pressure by stepping up street protests. They have also petitioned Israel's allies to do more to help their cause. Egypt on Sunday will host a fresh round of negotiations aimed at achieving a Gaza truce and hostage release deal.

Abud, wearing a t-shirt with a picture of her boyfriend, recounted how she survived the Hamas assault. "I was buried under the bodies for six hours, and after six hours a man came to look for his son. And when he came to look for his son, based on the location his son had sent him, he found me and five other people," she told Reuters in an interview.

"If he hadn't come, I might not be alive today either." Israel says it will not stop its Gaza offensive until all hostages are freed and Hamas is no longer a threat. Hamas has sought to parlay any deal into an end to the fighting and withdrawal of Israeli forces.

"I myself have experienced the horrors, I myself am in mourning for my nephew, for my family, and with all of this I still have to get up every morning and think to myself - what I am doing today to release my partner from Gaza?" Abud said.

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