Israeli man to be released by Hamas as his family in Sarasota waits with mixed emotions
SARASOTA, Fla. - Sagui Dekel-Chen has been in captivity since Hamas took him hostage as part of their October 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel. That is expected to end soon, however.
For Gillian Kaye, Chen’s stepmother, a mix of emotions runs through her mind.

Sagui Dekel-Chen with his family.
"Exhausted. Scared. I can’t even say cautiously optimistic right now. I felt that way yesterday, but today, tired, scared and waiting," Kaye told FOX 13.
Awaiting her step-son
The backstory:
A dual American and Israeli citizen, Sagui worked to protect his family as his wife and daughters hid in their home’s saferoom.
After 15 months, not a day goes by without thinking of her stepson.
"I can’t really imagine what Sagui is going through. The one group of hostages that came out a year ago in November, in the only hostage release, we heard their stories of torture, rape, and starvation," Kaye said. "Brutal conditions, and that was the only proof of life we ever had for Sagui."

Image showing the Israel-Hamas war.
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At that time, they learned Sagui was inured.
When will Sagui return home
What we know:
This week, after a draft agreement of a cease-fire was announced between Israel and Gaza, they soon learned Sagui should be in the first round of hostage releases.

Chen before he was taken hostage by Hamas.
But then hope slowed down as they learned additional negotiations were announced.
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"He’s a strong guy, period. You always have to have hope. That he has survived, and he is okay, and he will come back to us," said Gillian.
The politics behind Sagui’s release
Dig deeper:
Gillian credits both the Biden Administration and President-elect Trump.

Missing persons flyers that were posted for hostages of Hamas.
"There is no question in anyone’s mind that amidst this total stall in negotiation when President Trump came out and said all hell is going to break loose if you don’t get this done, it jumpstarted this process," Gillian said.
Sagui’s blossoming family
Big picture view:
When Sagui was captured, his wife was 7 months pregnant.
Once he’s reunited with his family, he’ll finally meet his baby girl, who is now a year old.
It’s a moment Gillian and her husband long for.
"My husband always says the thing that keeps him going, and I really embrace this, is this image of Sagui walking into a room or down a hallway and his three little girls just running into his arms and him just embracing them and his wife just embracing him," Gillian said. "And seeing that is what we are waiting for, but we can’t be there until this is real."
The Source: All of the information in this story was collected by FOX 13's Kimberly Kuizon.
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