Former Israeli hostages Sasha (Alexander) Troufanov and Sapir Cohen, who were kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz during the Hamas-led assault on 7 October 2023, announced their engagement on 9 July. Troufanov spent 498 days in captivity under Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad control before his release in February, while Cohen was freed after 55 days in November 2023. The couple were abducted alongside Troufanov’s mother, Yelena, and grandmother, Irina, who were released in the same November deal that freed Cohen. Troufanov’s father, Vitaly, was killed in the initial attack. Following a reunion earlier this year, the pair have now taken the first formal step toward rebuilding their lives together. Their engagement comes as Israel continues negotiations for the return of roughly 50 people still believed to be held in Gaza. Efforts to reach a broader cease-fire and hostage-release agreement remain stalled, keeping the issue at the center of Israeli domestic and diplomatic agendas.