Former 7 October hostages marry in emotional ceremony
Sasha Troufanov and Sapir Cohen's wedding was attended by the President and First Lady of Israel, as well as fellow former hostages
Two former hostages taken by Hamas on 7 October celebrated their wedding on Sunday in an emotional ceremony attended by Israel’s President and First Lady, as well as a number of other survivors of captivity in Gaza.
Sasha Troufanov and Sapir Cohen, who were captured at Kibbutz Nir Oz on 7 October, announced their engagement last July. The couple had been visiting Troufanov’s family during Sukkot in 2023 when Hamas launched its mass invasion.
Cohen was released as a part of the November 2023 ceasefire deal – the first ceasefire since the war began. While she was in captivity, the 5-year old Emily Aloni, a fellow hostage, drew a picture of how, one day, Cohen and Troufanov would be married; a drawing which has now become reality.
Israeli President Israel Herzog, who had previously vowed not to attend any weddings until the return of all the hostages, was present with his wife Michal, the first lady. The presidential couple blessed the newlyweds under the chuppah canopy. In a social media post afterwards, President Herzog wrote: “We prayed for your return, we were moved to tears when you came back home, and this evening we were privileged to rejoice together with you and to bless you under the chuppah on your joyous day. Mazal tov Sasha and Sapir. May you merit to build together a home filled with love, light, and joy!
Troufanov spent 498 days in captivity before being freed in February 2025.
Fellow former hostages who attended the ceremony included Eitan Horn, Ariel Cunio and Rom Braslavski, who was held in the same tunnel as Troufanov.
In an emotional social media post after the event, Braslavski wrote:
“Today, we are together, not in Rafah, not stuffed in a trunk, but free and you are in a beautiful groom’s suit, marrying Sapir. How much you talked about her, my brother.
“There is nothing happier for me than accompanying you on this day, and I hope both of you will bring into the world happy little children and that they won’t know evil. May they not know war, with God’s help.”
At a press conference not long after Troufanov’s release, Cohen said that he had told her that while he was a hostage, he prayed for me to find a man to love, prayed that I wouldn’t wait for him.
“He didn’t want me waiting for a man he thought would never return home. He didn’t believe he would survive.”
Beneath the chuppah, Troufanov told those present, who also included Maj. Gen. (res.) Nitzan Alon, former head of the IDF hostage command, “thank you for coming today to share this joy with us, this evening, this emotional moment.
“You were with us all the way. Thank you very much. I love you.”
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