Itay Dekel-Chen, the brother of Sagui Dekel-Chen, who was released from Hamas activity on February 15, described the feeling of relief and joy the family experienced after 16 months of struggle. "Sagui, thank God, is getting better every day," Itay told Benny Teitelbaum in an interview on Kan Moreshet, but noted the difficulty in dealing with the intense public interest in the fate of the hostages. "It's not fun in any way, but it's understandable. People feel very close to this story." He noted that the hostages who have been freed "would not have returned without the fierce fighting against Hamas in Gaza." He presented a complex position in dealing with public criticism of the release of terrorists and murderers as part of the deal. "Life is not about the beginning, life is about the end. I didn't want Sagui to be kidnapped in the beginning either, but in the situation we're in here, I'm glad he's back." Related articles: Hamas captivity survivors take off for US 'I really fear that Guy and Evyatar are alone' 'My mind is still there, thinking about who's left behind' 'The terrorists told me I’d get a better wife and better kids' In response to criticism of the ways some families have protested, he asked the publish to seek to understand the families' feelings of frustration and despair at their loved ones' continued captivity and torture, but emphasized the need for unity. "We are all here together, we are together in the war, together in the abductions and together in the consequences of any deal that may be made." Despite his joyous response, he reminds us that the struggle is not over. "We have at least four hostages that we know for sure are alive and we are waiting for their return." Itay expressed deep gratitude to the religious Zionist community, who he said supported the families of the kidnapped, at every possible level. "The religious Zionist community has been fighting a fierce fight for over 500 days. It is very clear to me that they would not have returned without this very fierce fighting." He also thanked the religious Zionist community's representatives in the Knesset, who voted in favor of the deal and maintained the stability of the government over the last month despite the political difficulty and domestic criticism of the deal. "They could have dissolved the government, but they chose to stay and allow the deal to go through," he emphasized.
