Families of U.S. hostages in Gaza set to attend State of the Union
Family members plan to ask lawmakers and their staffers to wear yellow ribbons and dog tags to the speech in a sign of solidarity.
WASHINGTON — Family members of some of the Americans still held hostage in the Gaza Strip are expected to attend President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address next week after receiving an invitation from a bipartisan group of lawmakers.
The families also plan to send a letter to every member of Congress asking them and their staffers to wear yellow ribbons and dog tags to the speech Thursday night in a sign of solidarity for those desperately working each day to bring their loved ones home.
“It’s a living hell. A living hell from the moment you get up in the morning until you go to bed,” said Jonathan Dekel-Chen, father of American hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen who plans to attend the event at the Capitol with Sagui's stepmother, Gillian Kaye.
Dekel-Chen and Kaye said they're hopeful their presence will remind Americans of the horrific situation their son and 133 other hostages are dealing with and plead with lawmakers both in the United States and around the world to continue their effort to secure their release.
“There really are no words to describe how difficult this is. I feel for my son; I am consumed for his wife and his three little girls who are waiting for him at home and have absolutely no idea what his condition is,” Dekel-Chen said.
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