Just one day after their return from Hamas captivity, Alexander (Sasha) Troufanov, Sagui Dekel-Chen, and Iair Horn have begun their rehabilitation process. While each of them faces a long road to recovery, their journeys are already marked by emotional reunions and life-changing revelations.
Sagui Meets the Daughter Born During His Captivity
During his months in captivity, Sagui was completely unaware of his family’s fate, cut off from all forms of communication. He feared the worst, mourning for his loved ones while striving to remain hopeful. Yesterday, upon his release, he was overwhelmed to discover that his family had survived and that he had become a father during his captivity.
This morning (Sunday), Sagui’s aunt shared the emotional moment when he met his newborn daughter: “Sagui finally held his daughters last night, including his newborn baby, Shahar, who was born after he was taken. She’s only a year old, but she could sense the joy in the room. She saw her mother and sisters smiling and celebrated with them. She loves to imitate her older sisters.”
Iair Smiles Again After Months in Darkness
Iair Horn spent part of his captivity with his brother Eitan, who remains in Hamas’ hands. However, in recent months, the two were separated. Unlike many other hostages, Iair was not held alone in Hamas’ tunnels but was imprisoned alongside other captives. In this way, he was able to pass along proof of life from those who remained behind.
During his time in captivity, he lost significant weight and lacked consistent medical care. He spent most of his time underground but, unlike some hostages, was occasionally exposed to snippets of Israeli media.
His mother, Ruthie Strum, expressed both relief and determination: “He lost a lot of weight, but he’s doing well. He’s walking, smiling, talking, and aware of everything. The most important thing is that he’s here with us. But we won’t stop fighting until Eitan comes home too.”
Sasha Discovers His Father’s Fate
Sasha Troufanov learned only upon his release that his father was murdered on October 7. While he had limited exposure to external news during captivity, he occasionally heard updates from his captors about the war. Unlike others, Sasha was held completely alone for the entire duration of his captivity. In isolation, he taught himself to read and speak Arabic. He hadn’t seen his loved ones since the attack but had overheard on the radio that his partner, Sapir, and his grandmother, Lena, had been freed.
As they begin the next chapter of their journey, the three survivors are surrounded by their families and medical professionals who will guide them toward physical and emotional recovery.
