Jonathan Dekel-Chen, whose son Sagui was held hostage by Hamas for nearly 500 days before being released as part of the most recent deal between Israel and Hamas, sat down with The Jerusalem Post's Eve Young to talk about October 7, Sagui's return, and how Jewish and Israeli leadership have measured up in the face of this crisis.
“It’s like having a 36-year-old son be born again,” he said, on watching Sagui standing on his own two feet as he was transferred from Hamas to the Red Cross.
He saw him “emerging from the valley of death, quite literally... Joy, it’s such a thin word to describe that, and we are still experiencing it now,” he said.
In constant danger
Sagui has since told his father about his captivity, including describing that he was in constant danger from his Hamas captors and possible friendly fire incidents.
This only “emphasizes the need to get the hostages out in some sort of negotiated way,” Jonathan told the Post.
Jonathan also told the Post about the abandonment and betrayal he feels from the Israeli government and highlighted the failings of major Jewish organizations.
You can watch the full interview attached at the top of this article or on The Jerusalem Post's YouTube channel.