Eli, son of Yahya and Issa Cohen, was born in 1947 in Alexandria, Egypt. In 1951 the family immigrated to Israel. Eli fell in a battle that took place in the Banias camp on the fifth day of the Six-Day War, on June 10, 1967. He proved himself to be an excellent commander (as a sergeant). He was buried in the military cemetery in Afula and later moved to eternal rest in the Netanya military cemetery.