Video shows Sagui Dekel-Chen reuniting with his wife, learning his daughter’s name

Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent

A video published by the military shows released hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen reuniting with his wife Avital and his parents at an IDF facility near the Gaza border for the first time after 498 days in Hamas captivity.

In the video, Sagui finds out the name of his third daughter, who was born two months after he was abducted by Hamas on October 7, 2023.

“Do you remember what you called her?” Avital asks Sagui, referring to the girl’s baby bump nickname.

“Mazal!” he exclaims in surprise.

“So that’s what she’s called, Shachar Mazal,” Avital responds.

“It’s perfect,” he says. (Shachar is Hebrew for “dawn”; mazal means “luck.”

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