Sagi Dekel Chen and Yair Horn, who were released today from captivity by the Hamas terrorist organization in Gaza, were held together in recent days alongside other hostages. Sasha Tropanov, who was also released today, was held alone by Islamic Jihad.
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According to a report this evening (Saturday night) on 'Kan News', the three stayed in Khan Yunis, hundreds of meters from Kibbutz Nir Oz, throughout their days of captivity.
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They stayed in tunnels, and recently, after the ceasefire came into effect, in apartments.
The three testified that after so long in captivity they speak Arabic.
According to the report, some of the abductees were held most of the time in tunnels and in small groups. Dekel Chen was in a hospital in the Gaza Strip until the agreement to return the abductees began on November 24, 2023. He was held there along with other abductees, including Itzik Elgert, whose life is in serious danger.
After being released from the hospital, the injured hostages were split up from Nir Oz.
Return safely from Gaza: Sasha Alexander Tropanov, Sagi Dekel and Yair Horn
The hostages were filmed for Hamas and Islamic Jihad propaganda videos. As part of the video in which Yair Horn was filmed, he was forced to talk about his brother Eitan, who is being held captive.
The terrorists informed Sagi Dekel Chen that he had a daughter, and in a cynical act, they even gave him earrings as a gift for his wife. He asked the IDF representatives if it was true because he didn't believe it, and they told him yes.
and a release notice pic.twitter.com/0CTGQ1Kns9
— Real-time Iron Swords News ???? (@Xnews__IL) February 15, 2025
Dekel Chen was wounded in his right shoulder on October 7. When he arrived for a meeting with IDF representatives, he told the soldiers: "Leave it alone, the most important thing is for me to meet my family now.".
Yair Horn knew that his brother was still in captivity. He said that he was with him at the beginning of the captivity and that he was wounded in the leg and asked: "When will they release Eitan?""
Sasha Tropanov was informed by IDF forces that his father, Vitaly, had been murdered, and burst into tears.
New details from captivity: The terrorists informed Sagi Dekel Chen that a daughter had been born to him, Sasha Tropanov was informed that his father had been murdered, Yair Horn was with his brother Eitan at the beginning of the captivity@ItayBlumental #NewsSaturday pic.twitter.com/EqsBhlUx7g
— Here News (@kann_news) February 15, 2025
The three were released hungry, although they looked better than the three hostages released last week. Upon his release, Sasha Tropanov asked for food.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad released the three with 'gifts' in their hands: certificates of release and medals.
Yair Horn received an 'hourglass' from Hamas with a picture of Einav Tsengauker, alongside the caption "Time is running out." The IDF intends to deliver the clock to her in the coming days.
Yair, Sasha and Sagi are handed over to the Red Cross after Hamas's regular ritual on stage in Khan Yunis https://t.co/XHRb7eyqAH pic.twitter.com/YwvIMpzQyP
— roi kais • روعي كايس • روي كايس (@kaisos1987) February 15, 2025
According to News 12, the hostages were held in inhumane conditions, with Hamas insisting that some of them were soldiers, interrogating and torturing them relentlessly to obtain intelligence. Some were held in tunnels, and the hiding places they were in were contaminated, with lice, bedbugs, mold, and mildew. The terrorists injured some of the hostages and they did not receive proper medical treatment.
Some of the hostages will have to undergo surgery in the coming days, due to the damage they are suffering from their time in captivity. The hostages received almost no food, the water was salty and undrinkable.
Before their release, the terrorists forced them to write letters of gratitude while documenting them.
Sagi was subjected to interrogations and torture.
Sasha Tropanov only discovered upon his release today that his father was murdered on October 7, and he was hardly exposed to the media while he was in captivity. However, he was occasionally updated on the state of the war by the terrorists who held him. During the entire period he was held alone, he learned to read and speak Arabic. He did not see Sapir and Vilna during the entire period of captivity, but heard on the radio that they had been released from captivity.
Yair Horn was held captive for a certain time with his brother Eitan, who remained in Hamas captivity, but not recently. Yair was not alone in the Hamas tunnels, but was in the company of other hostages. He brought with him signs of life from several of the hostages who were with him.
Horn lost several dozen kilograms during his captivity and did not receive regular medical treatment. He spent most of his time in the tunnels, but unlike others, he was occasionally exposed to the Israeli media.
Sagi Dekel Chen underwent difficult interrogations while in captivity, which included physical torture that left scars on his body. Throughout his entire captivity, he did not know what had become of his family. For a year and four months, he was completely cut off from all means of communication.
He really mourned and cried for his family, but tried to remain optimistic. Today, upon his release from captivity, he discovered that his family members were alive. Only two days ago he found out that there was a deal and that he was going to be released.
