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With the first phase of Ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas scheduled to begin Sunday, the families of the hostages hope to see their loved ones in front of them again.
Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire deal that could be seen first release of American hostages within days, as part of a wider deal to free 33 captives during a 42-day pause in the fighting.
The deal, which is awaiting approval by Israel’s security cabinet in a vote on Thursday, would include the release of two Americans, Keith Siegel and Sagui Dekel-Chen, in its first phase, according to a senior Israel official. the administration
Of the seven Americans believed to be held by Hamas, only three are believed to be alive. The third, a 21-year-old American-Israeli Edan Alexandera former IDF soldier, would be part of a second phase of releases.
In return, Israel would release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, following a pattern seen in previous hostage negotiations.
The third phase calls for the return of the bodies of the remaining hostages and the start of a major reconstruction of Gaza, which is largely devastated and faces decades of reconstruction.
After 466 days in captivity, it is still unclear how many of the approximately 100 hostages still held by Hamas are alive. Officials estimate that more than a third of all hostages taken during the October 7, 2023 attack have died.
For the families of the hostages, the wait continues. While some may soon be reunited with their loved ones, others face the grim prospect of confirmed deaths in captivity.
Hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen will be released in the first phase of the ceasefire
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Jonathan Dekel-Chen joins NewsNation to discuss the upcoming cease-fire in Gaza, aimed at paving the way for the release of dozens of hostages. His 36-year-old son, Sagui Dekel-Chen, a US citizen, was taken hostage by Hamas on October 7 and is believed to be still alive. Dekel-Chen, along with other hostage families, has actively advocated for the safe return of their loved ones. -
Edan Alexander, left, is pictured with his father Adi. Alexander was kidnapped by Hamas during the ongoing war in Gaza and remains in captivity. -
Freed hostage Ilana Gritzewsky poses for a portrait in her apartment in Kiryat Gat, Israel, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, near photos of her boyfriend, Matan Zangauker, who is being held hostage by Hamas in the Gaza Strip (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov) -
This undated photo provided by the headquarters of the Hostage Families Forum shows Omer Neutra. (Headquarters of the Hostage Families Forum via AP) -
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TOPSHOT – Ronen (L) and Orna Neutra, parents of Omer Neutra, pose for a photo in New York City on November 6, 2023. The parents of Omer Neutra, a US dual national soldier and Israeli who is one of the 240 hostages captured. of Hamas in its attack from Gaza, they are counting on President Biden to get it back. They haven’t heard from him in the month since their nightmare, and that of the other hostage families, began on October 7. Biden, who has pledged strong support for Israel in its war against Hamas, showed compassion as he spoke to the families for more than an hour and said he is determined to secure the release of the hostages, Ronen Neutra said. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images) -
FILE – Ruby Chen holds a sign of her son, Itay Chen, during a protest near Israel’s parliament in Jerusalem, March 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg, File) -
Judith Raanan, an American who was one of the first hostages released by Hamas, in “Elizabeth Vargas Reports.” -
TEL AVIV, ISRAEL – OCTOBER 7: Families and supporters of hostages taken during the deadly attack by Hamas on October 7 display photos of hostages as the ongoing conflict in Gaza between Israel and Hamas marks one year on the 7 October 2024 in Tel Aviv, Israel. Various commemorations are being held around Israel to mark the anniversary of the Hamas attacks on Israel. On October 7, 2023, members of Hamas staged a series of attacks and raids against Israeli citizens in the border area of Israel’s Gaza enclave. 251 Israelis and foreigners were kidnapped with almost 100 still missing and 1139 people died. (Photo by Amir Levy/Getty Images) -
This composite of six undated photos shows hostages, from top left, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Ori Danino, Eden Yerushalmi, from bottom left, Almog Sarusi, Alexander Lobanov and Carmel Gat, who were held hostage by Hamas militants in Gaza. On Sunday, September 1, 2024, the Hostage Families Forum announced their deaths while in captivity by Hamas. (The Hostage Families Forum via AP)
Jonathan Dekel-Chen revealed that his son Sagui, a prisoner since October 7, may not even know that he has a new daughter, born two months after his capture.
“I just don’t know if Sagui knows that his family survived the massacre,” Dekel-Chen told NewsNation on Wednesday.Elizabeth Vargas reportsHis 36-year-old son is among those expected to be released in the first phase of releases.
“I will feel joy when Sagui is able to hug his daughters,” Dekel-Chen said.
The last confirmed proof of Sagui’s life came more than a year ago, when freed hostages reported briefly encountering him wounded but alive in Hamas tunnels under Gaza.
“When he gets out of that ambulance, we will embrace him in every sense of the word and help him in every way necessary to rebuild his life,” Dekel-Chen said as he tempered his optimism about the condition of his son after 466 days in captivity.
Although grateful for his son’s expected release, Dekel-Chen said many hostages remain in what he called “hellholes” under Gaza, including 29 from his own Nir Oz kibbutz. Some of these captives, he learned, were later killed by Hamas.
“We cannot leave a single hostage behind,” he said.
Omer Neutra’s parents hope for a “proper burial”
The parents of a dead American hostage called the ceasefire “a deal with the devil” while supporting the compromise needed to bring home the remaining captives.
“This is not good business,” said Ronen Neutra, whose The 21-year-old son Omer he was confirmed dead after 422 days in captivity. “But on October 7, 2023, they took 250 people out of their beds … and unfortunately, we have to make a deal with the devil.”
Omer Neutra, a rescuer who rushed to the defense of Israeli villages during the October attacks, was among the 98 hostages still in Gaza. His parents learned of his death last month after advocating for his release at the Republican National Convention and in meetings with President Biden.
His mother, Orna Neutra, described “mixed emotions” about the deal. While they support the deal, the Neutrals are now fighting for a different outcome — the return of her son’s body for “proper burial.”
Parents praised the bipartisan cooperation between the the outgoing Biden administration and President-elect Trump’s team ensuring the agreement.
“There is no light between the two teams,” Orna Neutra said, noting that both administrations helped push the deal forward.
