SARASOTA, Fla. — It’s been 46 days.
Gillian Kaye wears the number taped on her heart, and every day she adds one.
“Every day has been a new day of being angry and sad and scared and waiting for news,” Kaye said.
“[Wednesday] is 46 days since Sagui [Dekel-Chen] was abducted by Hamas terrorists,” she added.
Kaye and her husband Jonathan Dekel-Chen spoke with 10 Tampa Bay on Zoom from their Sarasota home sharing the story of their son, Sagui. The 35-year-old was last seen on Oct. 7, securing his pregnant wife and children in a bunker, as Hamas attackers laid siege on their kibbutz, Nir Oz.
“Of all 240 hostages, 75 of which are from our community alone,” said Jonathan who lives in the same kibbutz, but was in America at the time of the attack.
Sagui’s family was eventually rescued, but his condition to this day is still unknown.
“We process our emotions about that all day long every day, and I mean it,” Kaye said.
The couple recently met with members of Congress and have been in touch with the U.S. State Department, with some hostages reportedly being released soon as part of a temporary ceasefire, it’s bittersweet, as they know many of the names on the list, and the ones not on it.
“It's joy, but it’s mixed with pain given the totality of the situation,” Jonathan added.
As they prepare for Thanksgiving without their son, they’re hopeful they’ll soon share a meal again.
“I look forward to a day when they do come home. So Sagui and everyone else, when we can have a meal and meeting of true thanksgiving for their release," he said.
Families of hostages are encouraging people to take part in “seats of hope” leaving empty chairs at the Thanksgiving table to remember them.
For a look at the campaign, click here.