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ISRAEL AT WAR - DAY 566

Sagui Dekel-Chen

Freed hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen with his father Jonathan aboard an IDF helicopter en route to the hospital soon after his release from 498 days in Hamas captivity in Gaza, February 15, 2025 (IDF)
March 29, 2025, 5:38 pm
Daily Briefing Mar. 29: Day 540 – Jonathan Dekel-Chen: US feels like hostages’ only beacon
Father of released hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen reflects on his son’s sense of rebirth, the struggle to bring him home, and the continuing sense of abandonment by Israel’s government
By Jessica Steinberg
Freed hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen with his father Jonathan aboard an IDF helicopter en route to the hospital soon after his release from 498 days in Hamas captivity in Gaza, February 15, 2025 (IDF)
March 29, 2025, 5:24 pm
What Matters Now to Jonathan Dekel-Chen: US feels like the hostages’ only beacon
Father of released hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen reflects on his son’s sense of rebirth, the struggle to bring him home, and the continuing sense of abandonment by Israel’s government
By Jessica Steinberg
Israelis attend a rally demanding a deal to bring hostages home from Gaza, at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, March 8, 2025. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
March 21, 2025, 11:07 pm
‘Israel choosing endless war’: 40 freed hostages demand end to fighting, return to talks
Also signed by 250 family members of hostages, letter calls renewed fighting in Gaza Strip a ‘criminal policy’ that risks lives of living hostages, disappearing the fallen
By ToI Staff
Sagui Dekel-Chen, watched by his wife Avital and two of their daughters, sings with the Tamari Project in a clip released on February 28, 2025 (Screen grab: YouTube/The Tamari Project)
March 1, 2025, 10:33 am
Sagui Dekel-Chen sings song of hope to remaining hostages
Accompanied by band named for slain friend, freed captive, who says he’s ‘just a dad who sings,’ recounts how music helped him survive: ‘Wipe off your tears and sing with me’
By ToI Staff
Freed hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen with his wife Avital aboard an IDF helicopter en route to the hospital soon after his release from 498 days in Hamas captivity in Gaza, February 15, 2025. The whiteboard message refers to the then-73 hostages still held in Gaza, and urges 'return all of them to us.' (IDF)
February 25, 2025, 8:47 am
Ex-hostage urges Netanyahu to set politics aside and finally visit ravaged Nir Oz
‘I will show you blood-soaked places and burnt homes,’ Israeli-American Sagui Dekel-Chen, who was freed on February 15, tells prime minister
By ToI Staff
Avital Dekel-Chen, whose husband Sagui Dekel-Chen was released from captivity in Gaza after 498 days on February 15, 2025, speaks to the press on February 16, 2025. (Hostages Families Forum)
February 17, 2025, 12:38 am
Freed hostage learned fate of family day before release, survived on love, wife says
Avital Dekel-Chen says Sagui didn’t know the entire time he was held captive that she and their daughters were alive; Sasha Troufanov’s mother: He was shot in both legs, ‘miracle’ he can walk
By ToI Staff
Freed hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen is reunited with his wife Avital on his return to Israel after 498 days in captivity in Gaza, February 15, 2025. (IDF)
February 16, 2025, 2:26 pm
Daily Briefing Feb. 16: Day 499 – Freed Nir Oz hostages describe torture, torment in Gaza
Times of Israel founding editor David Horovitz discusses details revealed by the newly released hostages, and the prime minister’s ‘wriggling’ on second-stage ceasefire negotiations
By Jessica Steinberg and David Horovitz
Left to right: freed hostage Sasha Troufanov, center, embraces his mother Yelena, left, and his girlfriend Sapir Cohen in an Israeli Air Force helicopter on the way from the Gaza border area to Sheba-Tel Hashomer Medical Center near Tel Aviv, February 15, 2025. (IDF); Newly-released hostage Iair Horn (center) reunites with relatives at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center. (Ma'ayon Toaf / GPO); Freed hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen seen with his wife Avital aboard an IDF helicopter. (IDF)
February 16, 2025, 3:29 am
Hours after release, freed hostages talk of Hamas torture, psychological torment
Iair Horn was held with brother Eitan at start of captivity, but hasn’t seen him since; Sagui Dekel-Chen scarred by torture; Troufanov was held alone, learned to speak and read Arabic
By ToI Staff
Freed hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen is reunited with his wife Avital on his return to Israel after 498 days in captivity in Gaza, February 15, 2025. (IDF)
February 15, 2025, 4:01 pm
A new daughter, a murdered father, a brother captive: Joy and anguish as hostages released
Emotional reunions as Sagui Dekel-Chen, Sasha Troufanov and Iair Horn freed after 498 days in captivity in Gaza, reunited with families and airlifted to hospital in Israel
By Emanuel Fabian and ToI Staff
A woman holds pictures of three released Israeli hostages in Tel Aviv on February 15, 2025 in the city's Hostages Square. (Jack GUEZ / AFP)
February 15, 2025, 2:44 pm
Daily Briefing Feb.15: Day 498 – 3 freed hostages find new baby, murdered dad, captive brother
Military reporter Emanuel Fabian updates us on today’s hostage releases, the status of the ceasefire with Lebanon and the ongoing counterterrorism operation in the West Bank
By Amanda Borschel-Dan and Emanuel Fabian
A combination image showing (from L-R) hostages Sagui Dekel Chen, Iair Horn and Sasha Troufanov during their release from captivity in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip on February 15, 2025 ( Bashar TALEB / AFP)
February 15, 2025, 11:47 am
Freed hostages Dekel-Chen, Troufanov and Horn back in Israel after 498 days in captivity
Three men paraded on stage by gunmen in southern Gaza before being handed over to Red Cross; Dekel-Chen ecstatic to hear about 3rd daughter, born two months after his abduction; Troufanov told father murdered Oct. 7
By Emanuel Fabian and ToI Staff
Hamas hostages (L-R) Sasha Troufanov, Sagui Dekel-Chen, and Iair Horn, set to be released from Gaza on February 15, 2025. (Courtesy)
February 14, 2025, 4:42 pm
Hostages Sagui Dekel-Chen, Sasha Troufanov and Iair Horn slated for release on Saturday
Dekel-Chen to meet his daughter for first time; Horn’s brother, kidnapped while visiting for Simchat Torah, not on list for 1st phase
By ToI Staff and Lazar Berman
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