(Daily Signal)—Monday marks 365 days since Hamas terrorists took U.S. citizens hostage. Four American men—Edan Alexander, Sagui Dekel-Chen, Omer Neutra, and Keith Siegel—are believed to be still alive, along with nearly 100 Israelis also taken hostage by Hamas.
About 1,200 Israelis were killed Oct. 7 during Hamas’ terrorist attack exactly one year ago, a rampage of rape, torture, and murder in southern Israel. The terrorists took another 240 as hostages.
Hostage negotiations remain stalled, with little progress in recent weeks.
An Israeli-American hostage, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, was murdered in the Gaza Strip about a month ago after enduring 11 months in captivity. His body was recovered in Gaza.
The bodies of three other Americans—Itay Chen, Judy Weinstein, and Gad Haggai—also are believed to be in Gaza.
Some details on the four Americans believed to be alive:
Edan Alexander
Alexander, now 20, was born in Tel Aviv but grew up in Tenafly, New Jersey. He was serving in Israeli’s Golani Brigade when Hamas terrorists attacked Israel. Alexander spoke to his mother on the morning of the attack and told her he was safe; shortly thereafter, his parents were unable to reach him.
Sagui Dekel-Chen
On Oct. 7, Dekel-Chen was living in Kibbutz Nir Oz with his wife and two daughters. He was busy at work that morning when he saw Hamas terrorists entering the kibbutz.
Dekel-Chen climbed onto the roof of the Kibbutz’s communal dining room to issue a warning before running home to his family. Finding them in a bomb shelter, he went back into the kibbutz to fight off the terrorists.
He was one of about 80 residents of Kibbutz Nir Oz to be taken hostage that day.
Dekel-Chen’s third daughter was born during his captivity.
Omer Neutra
Neutra was born in New York City in 2001. After high school, Neutra took a gap year and participated in a leadership program in Israel.
After a year there, Neutra decided to join the Israel Defense Forces and became a tank commander. On Oct. 7, he was serving close to Israel’s border with Gaza.
Neutra’s tank was found empty shortly after the terrorist attack.
Keith Siegel
Siegel and his wife were taken from their home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza on Oct. 7. Aviva Siegel was released Nov. 26, but her husband remains a hostage in Gaza.
Siegel, 65, is originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He and his wife hid in their safe room during the Hamas attack, but terrorists found them and took them from their home.
Aviva Siegel said terrorists shoved her husband, breaking his ribs, and shot him in the hand.
As Israelis and Americans mark the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 terrorist attack, Yael Eckstein, president and CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, sits down with The Daily Signal.
In the interview, Eckstein talks about how the day will be remembered in Israel and what life has been like in the Jewish state since the attack.
At Last, a Company With Integrity in the Gold IRA Industry
For several years, I’ve been vetting out precious metals companies in search of the best. I believe in gold and silver but it’s hard to find integrity in the Gold IRA industry. The vast majority operate with shady tactics and gigantic spreads that take advantage of Americans who simply want to protect their life’s savings.
I’ve found a handful that I like and I’ve worked with some of them. By no means would I “unrecommend” them because, again, I vetted them out and found them to be above the fold. Unfortunately, it isn’t hard to be better than the rest when the rest are so darn awful.
After years of searching, I finally found a company that truly operates with integrity. Augusta Precious Metals has three important attributes that set them far above the competition:
- Non-Commissioned Sales Team: I cannot stress how important and unique this is. With just about every other company in the Gold IRA industry, the sales teams make commission from every account they open. This means they steer their clients toward the gold and silver products with the highest commission. With Augusta Precious Metals, the team is solely focused on putting the best gold and silver for their clients into their IRA. They get paid to serve the best interests of the Gold IRA client, NOT their own commission pay.
- Incredibly Low Fees: Most Americans would be shocked if they knew the spread other Gold IRA companies charge. Augusta charges just 5% versus up to 45% elsewhere.
- No Pressure, No Gimmicks: There’s an understanding among most in the Gold IRA industry that fear and pressure is the way to go. Augusta Precious Metals takes a sober approach when working with clients because they hold integrity in the highest possible regard. This is why they don’t offer gimmicks like “free” or “bonus” silver. It’s also why they do not apply pressure tactics to get quick sales. Their educational and transparent approach to doing business is exceedingly rare in the Gold IRA industry.
