American-Israeli Hostage Embraces Family After Release from Hamas
Sagui Dekel-Chen, an American-Israeli hostage, reunited with his family after being held for 500 days by Hamas. His release was part of a deal involving the freeing of Palestinian prisoners.
American-Israeli hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen embraced his wife following his release by Hamas on Saturday, February 15. The emotional reunion was captured in heartwarming photos and video at a reception point in Israel, marking the end of nearly 500 days apart.
The 36-year-old Dekel-Chen was seen hugging and kissing his wife, Avital Dekel-Chen, who welcomed their third daughter two months after he was seized during Hamas's attack on October 7, 2023. Dekel-Chen's parents were also present to welcome him home.
His family expressed their mixed emotions in a statement to the Associated Press, saying, "Our hearts ache for everything he missed, but now he's here, unlike many others."
Saturday's release followed a similar pattern to previous exchanges, where captives were made to walk onto a stage to speak before a crowd in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip. The event was attended by dozens of masked Hamas fighters, flanking the stage adorned with Palestinian flags and militant faction banners.
During the release, Chen appeared to be limping as he descended the stage, as reported by the Associated Press.
Alongside Dekel-Chen, other hostages released included Alexander (Sasha) Troufanov, 29, and Iair Horn, 46. Troufanov holds Israeli and Russian citizenship, while Horn is a dual citizen of Israel and Argentina. They were both abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz on the same day as Dekel-Chen.
In exchange for these hostages, Israel released 369 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, including 36 serving life sentences for their involvement in deadly attacks. A bus with the released Palestinian prisoners arrived in Beitunia, West Bank, to a joyful reception from relatives and supporters.
Some released prisoners were reportedly in poor condition, with the Palestinian Red Crescent stating that four required immediate medical attention.
This marked the sixth swap since a ceasefire was initiated on January 19. Prior to this release, 21 hostages and over 730 Palestinian prisoners had been freed in the earlier phases of the truce.
