Sagui Dekel-Chen, a 35-year-old dual American and Israeli citizen, bravely warned his family about Hamas infiltrating the Israel-Gaza border before being captured. His father, Jonathan, described the anguish of being unable to help from afar while in the United States on that tragic day in October 2023.
Sagui, a project coordinator for the Jewish National Fund, devoted his free time to converting old buses into useful spaces like a mobile grocery store and a mobile technology school for children. When he noticed Hamas preparing to attack while working on his latest project, he managed to alert some family members to seek shelter in a safe room. Although his mother was briefly abducted by Hamas, she miraculously escaped and reunited with the family in safety.
Despite being held hostage, Sagui has managed to inspire his family to carry on and make sense of their lives. Jonathan, a teacher, finds solace in guiding his children and grandchildren through the pain of having a parent missing and friends being taken or killed. As two children from their neighborhood remain hostages, Jonathan acknowledges the difficulty of explaining such tragic events to young children.
While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces pressure to secure the release of hostages, some in Israel criticize his handling of the situation. Concerned about preventing future hostage crises, Netanyahu emphasizes the need to protect Israeli citizens from Hamas threats.
As families of hostages struggle to cope with a new reality, they cling to hope for the return of their loved ones.
