Sagui Dekel Chen, who was held captive by Hamas for 498 days, participated this week in the “Songs in the Square 2025” national memorial concert, performing a special rendition of the song “Children of Life” (Yeladim Shel HaChayim). He was accompanied by Israeli musician Idan Raichel on piano. The performance was broadcasted on Keshet 12.
The event, produced by the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality, was held at the Sportek in Ganei Yehoshua Park in Tel Aviv in the presence of Mayor Ron Huldai. The program featured a lineup of Israeli artists, including Omer Cohen, Gali Atari, David Broza, Hatikva 6, Valerie Hamaty, Ishay Ribo, Eden Golan, Eden Hason, Marina Maximilian Blumin, Narkis, and Rita. The evening was hosted by Lior Ashkenazi and also aired live on IDF Radio (Galei Tzahal).
Who is Sagui Dekel Chen?
Sagui Dekel Chen, now 36, was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz. His wife, Avital, gave birth to their third daughter shortly after he was abducted.
In a public message prior to his release, Avital expressed her hope to be reunited, writing, “I have a dream that Sagui and I are slow dancing on the grass at the kibbutz.”
The baby, born two months after the massacre, was named Shahar, Hebrew for the first light that comes after darkness.
Seeing the first photos published of his release, his wife said, “He’s handsome.” After reuniting with his wife, Dekel Chen boarded an IAF helicopter, where he sent a message to his children: “Bari, Gali, Shahar – thank you for looking after me, Dad is coming.”
Hebrew University history Prof. Jonathan Dekel Chen, Sagui’s father, noted in an opinion piece published in the British newspaper The Times last month that his son was living without knowing that his children and wife had survived the attack.
“The one who sits at the top and who is responsible for what happened, primarily, on October 7 – that is our prime minister,” Sagui’s father told the Kofman and Arieh program on 103FM in March. “To return the hostages or whoever is possible, to return them alive, not to sacrifice them again.”