SARASOTA, Fla. — On the second anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, and with ceasefire talks underway, some Tampa Bay residents are hopeful for long-lasting peace.
For Sarasota part-time resident Jonathan Dekel-Chen, the issue is deeply personal. His son, Sagui, was held hostage in Gaza for nearly 500 days before being released in February 2025.
“Unspeakably grateful that Sagui came back to us after nearly 500 days of captivity in Hamas hell-holes in Gaza,” Dekel-Chen said. “He came back wounded in body. He’s doing as well as a person can do under the circumstances.”
WATCH: 2 years after attack, father of former Israeli hostage shares hope for peace
With his son safely back, Dekel-Chen said he can only imagine the heartbreak still facing families whose loved ones remain captive.
“It’s a kind of sadness, grief, fear that is unlike any other I’ve ever known,” he said. “When Sagui came home, in February of this year, he told us that he had calculated that he had been captive for 43,000,000 seconds, and he felt every single one of them.”
He calls for relentless international pressure on both Hamas and the Israeli government to secure a ceasefire and safe release for hostages, and he says much of that pressure must come from the White House.
“The only conditions through which hostages come home alive, if at all, is through intense, non-stop pressure from the Oval Office,” he said.
Meanwhile, in St. Petersburg, protesters gathered Tuesday night to highlight the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Among them, Karla Correa with the Pinellas Democratic Socialists of America said the suffering there cannot be ignored.
“It is a genocide, and it needs to end,” Correa said. “People are pressuring their governments to stand with Palestine, because it’s the right thing to do.”
To Dekel-Chen, rebuilding Gaza is a large part of the peace equation.
“Because right now, the people of Gaza have nothing left to lose. They’re pretty much lost everything,” he said.
But, to Dekel-Chen, ensuring long-standing peace will require more than reconstruction and the release of the remaining Israeli hostages. He said each side of the conflict will have to find humanity in the other side to stop the cycle of hate and conflict.
“How do we defuse that?” he asked.
Two years after the war began, and months after his son’s return, Dekel-Chen can finally breathe again, but he hopes others will soon be able to as well.
Share Your Story with Chad
Chad Mills calls Polk County home and has witnessed the area’s growth firsthand. He keeps his eye on the City of Lakeland, our agriculture community, and helping you navigate everyday expenses. Use the form below to share your story ideas with Chad.
.
Pinellas Park Airbnb shooting sparks short-term rentals debate
Neighbors express concern over safety and lack of oversight after deadly officer-involved shooting at short-term rental.
