Shagai Dekel Chen Debuts Nine Songs Written in Hamas Captivity at Nir Oz Festival

A year and a half after his release from Hamas captivity, Shagai Dekel Chen performed nine songs he wrote and composed during his 498 days in captivity. The event took place at the Israel Festival in Kibbutz Nir Oz, where about 3,000 spectators, including fellow captives, bereaved families, and local residents, gathered to hear his music for the first time. Dekel Chen opened the evening with a renewed rendition of Yigal Bashan's song "Shamayim" and shared personal stories from his time held in Gaza. He described the dreams that accompanied him during captivity, noting that while some were painful, the most difficult to wake from were the good dreams where he was back home. He emphasized that he did not dream of wealth or glory but simply longed to return to his life and family. All proceeds from the concert will be donated to widows and orphans of the "Sword of Iron" war. Dekel Chen was abducted from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz during the terror attack on October 7 and reunited with his family only after his release. During his captivity, his wife Avital gave birth to their third daughter, Dor, whom he met for the first time upon returning to Israel. Earlier in April, he performed publicly for the first time since his release during the "Songs in the Square" broadcast, singing "Children of Life" with Idan Raichel. This concert marked the first time he revealed the songs created during his imprisonment to a live audience.