Not music to Hamas ears

Former Israeli-American hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen, abducted during the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, performed his album "Minus One" on August 10 at Kibbutz Nir Oz. The nine songs on the album were conceived during his 498 days of captivity in Gaza, where he found refuge in his imagination despite being wounded and unaware of his family's fate. He composed and memorized the songs, recording them two days after his release in February 2025. One song was written for his youngest daughter, born while he was captive. Dekel-Chen stated the performance was "simply part of the story," highlighting resilience against Hamas's attempt at dehumanization. The article notes that all living hostages returned by October 13, 2025, and the body of the final hostage was recovered on January 26, 2026.