American-Israeli hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen embraced his wife after being apart from her for nearly 500 days in heartwarming photos and video taken Saturday following his release by Hamas.
The scenes captured at a reception point in Israel show the 36-year-old hugging and kissing Avital Dekel-Chen, who gave birth to their third daughter two months after he was seized by the Palestinian terrorist group during their Oct. 7, 2023, attack on the country. Dekel-Chen’s parents are also seen welcoming him home.
“Our hearts ache for everything he missed, but now he’s here, unlike many others,” his family said in a statement to the Associated Press.
As with previous exchanges, Saturday’s hostage release was heavily choreographed, with the captives made to walk onto a stage and speak into microphones before a crowd in Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip. Dozens of masked, armed Hamas fighters lined up near the stage, which was decorated with Palestinian flags and banners of militant factions.
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Sagui Dekel-Chen is seen embracing his wife Avital Dekel-Chen at a reception point in Israel on Saturday, Feb. 15, following his release by Hamas. (IDF)
Chen appeared to be limping as he descended the stage during the hostage release, the AP reported.
The other hostages released were Alexander (Sasha) Troufanov, 29, and Iair Horn, 46. Troufanov has Israeli and Russian citizenship, while Horn is a dual citizen of Israel and Argentina.
The three were abducted by Hamas from Kibbutz Nir Oz in the terror group’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack against Israel that sparked the war in Gaza.
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Sagui Dekel-Chen’s mother and father also welcomed him home to Israel on Saturday, Feb. 15. (IDF)
In return for the hostages’ release, Israel began releasing 369 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, including 36 serving life sentences for deadly attacks. A bus carrying the first released prisoners arrived in the West Bank town of Beitunia and was greeted by a cheering crowd of relatives and supporters.
Some appeared gaunt, and the Palestinian Red Crescent emergency service said four were immediately taken for medical treatment.
Israeli hostages Iair Horn, 46, left, Sagui Dekel Chen, 36, center left, and Alexander Troufanov, 29, right, are escorted by Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters as they are handed over to the Red Cross in Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, Feb. 15. (AP/Abdel Kareem Hana)
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It is the sixth swap since the ceasefire took effect on Jan. 19. Before Saturday, 21 hostages and over 730 Palestinian prisoners were freed during the first phase of the truce.
Fox News’ Landon Mion and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
