Father of American-Israeli hostage released by Hamas ‘born again’ after reunion
Jonathan Dekel-Chen struggled to find the “exact words” to describe how it felt to hug his son, who was released after nearly 500 days as a prisoner of Hamas.
“It was like being born again in the physical sense. We’ve been in daily fear for his life and, having been a captive of a murderous terrorist organization. We had no real proof of life until just a couple of days before he was released, so it was a moment that I will keep with me for the rest of my days,” he told “Fox & Friends First” Wednesday.
Sagui, a 36-year-old American-Israeli, was abducted from the Nir Oz kibbutz and held in Hamas captivity in Gaza following the terror group’s Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
FREED AMERICAN HOSTAGE MARC FOGEL LANDS IN US AFTER YEARS IN RUSSIAN CAPTIVITY
Sagui Dekel-Chen and his father Jonathan share a hug after Hamas released Sagui from captivity after nearly 500 days. (Fox & Friends First/Screengrab)
He was handed over to the Red Cross last week alongside Alexander (Sasha) Troufanov, 29, and Iair Horn, 46.
Hamas announced this week that it will hand over more hostages than expected, including the remains of Shiri Bibas and her young children, Kfir and Ariel, who were aged nine months and four years when they were kidnapped during the Oct. 7 attacks.
For Jonathan, who lived in a kibbutz near the Bibas family, the news is “heart-wrenching.”
The Bibas family, from left: Yarden, Ariel, Shiri, and Kfir (Ofri Bibas Levy)
“It is a lasting symbol of the enormous failure of Israel on Oct. 7th that this was allowed to happen…” he said.
“My heart goes out to their extended family and beyond the kibbutz. If anyone had any doubts that we’re dealing here with Satan, then the return of Shiri and her two boys is the clearest sign. However, we have to make a deal with Satan in order to get the rest of the 73 hostages home…”
Sagui’s release last week came with heartwarming videos and photos of him embracing his loved ones, including his wife Avital Dekel-Chen, who gave birth to their third daughter two months after he was seized by Hamas.
AMERICAN-ISRAELI HOSTAGE RELEASED BY HAMAS EMBRACES HIS WIFE, FAMILY AFTER BEING APART FOR NEARLY 500 DAYS
Until two days before regaining his freedom, he had no idea his wife and daughters had survived. Now, his father says, there’s a lot of catching up to do.
“500 days is a long time. There’s certainly a lot of catching up in both directions – him relaying what happened to him, but also him learning about the world outside… But he did learn of the birth of his youngest daughter. That’s a beautiful thing,” Jonathan shared.
After being wounded during the Oct. 7th massacre, receiving “very rudimentary” medical care and facing harrowing conditions of very little food, no sunlight and poor sanitation in Hamas captivity, there’s also a lot of work to be done to rehabilitate his son physically, he added.
“I’d also like to mention that there are still five U.S. citizens being held captive in Gaza, so there’s so much work yet to be done,” he said.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Fox News’ Greg Norman contributed to this report.
