Who Is Playing Gabi Ayub? Meet Itzik Cohen, the Actor Behind ‘Fauda’s’ Captain

Fans binge-watching the latest season of ‘Fauda’ often wonder who portrays the gruff yet deeply human Shin Bet handler guiding Doron’s team through turmoil. The answer is Itzik Cohen, an Israeli actor whose performance as Captain Gabi Ayub has become one of the franchise’s most recognizable elements.

Cohen has been part of ‘Fauda’ since its inception in 2015, and his portrayal of the veteran interrogator has only deepened with each new season. Born on September 9, 1968, in Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel, Itzik Cohen is an actor, filmmaker, and television producer best known for his role as Captain Gabi Ayub in the political thriller series ‘Fauda’.

The character of Gabi has served as a constant anchor for the show, with Cohen’s ongoing involvement ensuring that consistency. He reprises his role as Captain Gabi Ayub in the latest season, a character who has remained a steadfast presence throughout the series. Within the narrative, Gabi has a background as a field officer, intelligence expert, and interrogator for Shin Bet.

Cohen’s journey to this role was unexpected. He comes from a background in comedy and musicals, making him an unconventional choice for the dramatic and complex character of Captain Gabi Ayub. The show’s creators sought to avoid the stereotype of a tough, macho Shabak investigator, aiming instead for a performance that captures the emotional essence of the conflict.

This casting decision proved to be a significant success for both Cohen and the series. He gained international recognition in 2015 with ‘Fauda’, playing a top interrogator in Israel’s Shin Bet unit, and the show has since received widespread critical acclaim.

In the latest season, Gabi finds himself in a different professional landscape than fans remember. Following his experiences in the previous season, Gabi now operates in the private security-technology sector, having officially retired from his previous role. He now leads a private security firm but remains a vital figure in the counter-intelligence arena.

Even from a distance, Gabi’s influence is evident throughout the season’s central mission. His intelligence plays a crucial role in expanding the operation in Marseille, serving as a counterbalance to Doron’s instincts. He continues to act as the captain, guiding Doron to Marseille with the directive to protect Eli at all costs.

Cohen’s Gabi also faces unique pressures that distinguish him from the rest of the unit. Unlike many around him, Gabi must navigate the expectations of administrative and governmental authorities, compelling him to make tough decisions. This layered, cautious demeanor is what makes the character feel indispensable, even in his new role outside the field.

While ‘Fauda’ remains the role that introduced Cohen to a global audience, his career extends far beyond the Shin Bet drama. He served in the Israel Defense Forces before graduating with honors in 1993 from the Department of Theater at Tel Aviv University. In 2021, Cohen began working on the television series ‘The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem’.

His international profile has also grown through film projects outside of Israel. Cohen recently completed a film shoot in Belgium alongside Ben Kingsley and Monica Bellucci, and he has received warm welcomes in cities like London, Berlin, Miami, Brussels, and Rotterdam due to the show’s popularity.

The personal impact of portraying Gabi has clearly resonated with Cohen over the years. He shared that he rarely goes a day without receiving a kind word about Captain Ayub from people of various backgrounds, including Jews, Muslims, Christians, and Druze, in cities such as Tel Aviv, Nazareth, Haifa, Akko, and Eilat. This kind of cross-cultural appreciation is rare for any television character, especially one rooted in such a politically charged context.

Cohen’s Gabi does not shoulder the latest season alone; the ensemble cast has garnered significant attention as well. Lior Raz, Yaakov Zada Daniel, and Doron Ben-David return to the same troubled unit, while Mélanie Laurent joins as Anne Aubert, Hakim Djaziri as Saeed, and Bian Anteer as Salem. Anne is connected to the Marseille plot, Saeed poses a threat behind a planned attack, and Salem is a grieving Bedouin tracker whose personal mission pulls Eli off the grid.

Other familiar faces enrich the world Gabi inhabits. Boaz Konforty plays Avichay, the unit’s sharpshooter, while Rona-Lee Shim’on portrays Nurit, known for her reconnaissance and combat skills in earlier seasons. Mark Ivanir also joined during the fourth season as a high-ranking Mossad official based in Brussels, broadening the story’s scope into European intelligence.

With Gabi now operating from the private sector rather than an official capacity, his relationships with this evolving cast become increasingly intriguing. Doron still embodies the field instincts that drive the narrative, but this time, the mission begins with fractured relationships instead of a clear command from the system. Cohen’s steady, world-weary portrayal of Gabi remains the connective tissue that holds this shifting unit together.

Now that you know the man behind Captain Ayub, does Gabi’s transition into the private security realm alter your perception of his role in Doron’s mission this season?