Hamas to release American hostage who fought terrorist group ‘hand-to-hand'

Telegraph

14-02-2025

An American who fought 'hand-to-hand' with Hamas before being captured will be released on Saturday alongside two other hostages, Hamas has confirmed.
On Friday, relief swept Israel as the terrorist group handed over the names of the three men within the deadline, having threatened to postpone hostage releases earlier in the week.
They include that of Sagui Delek-Chen, a US citizen and resident of Kibbutz Nir Oz who ushered his wife and children into a sealed room once the Oct 7 attack began before going out to confront the gunmen along with other members of the kibbutz security team.
His father, Jonathan, who was born in Connecticut, said Sagui helped raise the alarm that the community was under siege, giving some residents chance to reach safety.
A long fight ensued and the 36-year-old was last heard from at 9.30am.
'My daughter-in-law and the kids are now traumatised,' Jonathan said after the massacre.
'Avital heard her husband struggling in hand-to-hand combat.'
The Israeli public is anxiously waiting to see the physical state of the three men after the emaciated appearance of the men released last week drew comparisons to the Holocaust.
The planned release of the American was announced after repeated aggressive statements from Donald Trump, the US president, over the past week, including a demand that all the hostages be released by midday on Saturday or 'all hell is going to break out', as well as making comments about the release of US hostages specifically.
The negotiations in Qatar are shrouded in secrecy and it is not known whether Israel pressed for the release of this hostage in particular.
Jonathan has been a key member of the American delegation of hostage family members advocating for their release.
A social and business entrepreneur and an avid tennis player, his son was captured alongside his mother, Neomit, 63.
However, an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) helicopter engaged the driver of the vehicle in which she was being abducted, allowing her to escape, although injured.
Avital gave birth to the couple's third daughter while her husband was in captivity.
After Hamas threatened not to release hostages this week in retaliation for alleged violations of the ceasefire deal by Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, adopted Mr Trump's language regarding recommencing the war, as well as reinforcing units in and around Gaza.
However, while unnamed officials briefed that Israel would only accept the release of all on the list, Mr Netanyahu's words were ambiguous.
On Friday, the Israeli government said it would accept the slated release of three, ensuring the ceasefire continues for now, and the release of scores of Palestinian prisoners, but it was reported that they were pushing for more in the coming days.
Sasha Troufanov, who is also due to be released this weekend, was another captured from Nir Oz.
Of Russian origin, the 29-year-old, who works as an engineer in Amazon's cloud division, was kidnapped from his home along with his mother, Elena, grandmother Irina Tai, and girlfriend, Sapir Cohen.
His father, Vitaly, was killed during the massacre.
All three women were released under the November 2023 deal.
In May 2024, Palestinian Islamic Jihad released a video of Mr Troufanov, followed by another in November.
Yair Horn, 46, another resident of Nir Oz, will also be released.
Born in Argentina, he was well known in the community as the organiser of Purim parties, which mark the important Jewish holiday, and for managing the kibbutz pub.
On the day of the attack, he was being visited by his brother, Eitan, now 38.
Both men were captured
When their father texted to warn them that something was wrong, he replied: 'Did you forget that in Yair's kibbutz the missiles always pass overhead?', a reference to Hamas's campaign of rocket fire that long-predated Oct 7.
Both men were captured and Eitan is not on the list of the 33 to be released under the first phase of the deal.
It is expected that the three will be released on Saturday morning.
Mr Netanyahu has suffered a slip in the polls since the weekend, which commentators have attributed to disgust over the state of the three freed last weekend and impatience with the speed of releases.
Lt Gen Herzi Halevi, the IDF's chief of staff, apologised to female soldiers who had manned a surveillance point near Gaza, and were taken captive, after their warnings about Hamas activity were ignored.
'It was wrong to have not taken you seriously, you were amazing soldiers, I apologise for what you experienced in captivity,' Lt Gen Halevi says to four of the five surveillance soldiers who were held by Hamas for 15 months, according to leaked remarks.