One year ago, a Massachusetts man’s family was changed forever.
Two relatives of Needham resident Jason Greenberg were killed when Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
“Carmela and Noya, who were killed that day only because they weren’t able to keep up with their captors, that brings real sadness to my heart,” said Greenberg.
His cousin, Ofer Calderon, was kidnapped, and so were Ofer’s two children, Erez and Sahar.
The kids were released in November, but Ofer still remains in Gaza.
One year since Sagui Dekel-Chen was taken by Hamas in the Oct. 7 surprise attack on Israel, his parents reflect on what it would mean for the Israeli-American to come home to his wife and three daughters, and his ties to the Boston area.
When other hostages were released last month, they had news on Ofer.
“They had said as they were moved through tunnels, they had seen Ofer, and while he looked malnourished and had injuries to an arm, that otherwise, he was in fairly good shape,” said Greenberg.
That recent sighting gave hope to the family, especially to Ofer’s children.
“They’re young,” said Greenberg. “They’re resilient, moving forward with their lives, but they want their dad back.”
