Israeli-American Sagui Dekel-Chen.

He lives in kibbutz Nir Oz, near the Gaza border, which came u Hamas terrorists on October 7.

His father, Jonathan Dekel-Chen, is here in to help free his son.

And he joins me now.

Jonathan, welc It's good to see you.

JONATHAN DEK AMNA NAWAZ: So, among the officials you have been U.S. hostage envoy, Roger Carstens.

Give us a sense of what kind of updates you have been able any other officials, U.S. or Israeli, about the status of your son in the last few weeks.

JONATHAN DEKEL-CHEN: Well, Amna, I can't go into details about what was shared with the families of hostages who are themselves Israeli-American.

What I can say is, over the course of the last two, three days that we have been meeting with them, is that there's absolutely a spirit of partnership between the hostage families and the administration officials, including Ambassador Carstens.

It's clear that -- from our perspective, that the U.S. administration, from President Biden on down, is absolutely doing what it can in a very complicated situation to secure the release, not just of the U.S. citizens being held hostage, but also the rest of the 239, including, of course, my son.

AMNA NAWAZ: You have shared mo nth.

As you menti You said he physically fought the terrorists before himself being kidnapped.

What can you tell us today about how his wife and how his children are doing, how you're doing, more than five weeks later?

JONATHAN DEKEL-CHEN: The 160 or s of Eilat.

So the layer As far as de hope and the belief that Sagui and all of the hostages will come home soon and l the lives that they really deserve to live.

And so taking care of children, in my case, grandchildren, is coupled with -- them with love, of course, the best we can to help to the degree that it's possible overcome the trauma.

And, at the States and other friendly governments is really what keeps us going, and because all of the hostages deserve this.

AMNA NAWAZ: Jo whether it could help in some way to negotiate a release of the hostages.

Where do you stand on that?

JONATHAN DEKEL-CHEN: Wel two things can be true at once.

The one, of course, is that all of the hostage fa their loved ones back home with them and safe and healthy.

At the same time, the other truth is that Hamas, and particularly as someone who lives on a kibbutz in the border area in one of the many communities that was completely devastated by these massacres, I understand the need for the Israeli army to eradicate Hamas as a military, as a governing force.

So what I hope for in this case po ssible, supporting states are doing everything that they can tactically on the ground to ensure the safety of all of these hostages.

And if, if a cessation of hostilities, temporary or otherwise, could bring back all of the hostages, then, absolutely, that would be something that I could see all of the hostage families accepting.

AMNA NAWAZ: of holding two ideas in your head at the same time; 1,200 people were brutally m on October 7.

And, as you sa can stay safe in the future as well.

At the same time, you're watching all these images of the ai And thousands of civilians of Gaza have now been killed.

And I just wonder how you, watching this, knowing yo processing that.

JONATHAN DEKEL-CHEN: I t his two little daughters and a daughter to be born in another month, and where they're going to be at a week from now, a month from now, six months from now, immense, immense stress and sadness, coupled with immense sadness at the suffering of the citizens of Gaza.

They don't deserve this.

And I don't believe there's anyone amongst the hostage families who enjoys watc And the people of Gaza -- and I have said this before and I will reiterate it -- I believe that they are prisoners of Hamas in a comparable way to the Israeli hostages right now.

The suffering of the people of Gaza is a direct result of the policies, actions and ideologies of Hamas.

And so it would seem, if one make the answer is clear.

We all will be able the day after to move forw the Gazans being able to live normal lives only after Hamas is gone.

AMNA NAWAZ: Jonathan Dekel-Chen, thank you so much for your time, for your grace, and for sharing your family's story with us.

We appreciate it.

JONATHAN DEKEL-CHE