Keith Siegel learns his son is alive, after fearing the worst for 484 days – The Jerusalem Post

Keith Siegel described the details of his captivity to Kan News on Saturday following his release, along with Ofer Kalderon and Yarden Bibas.

He described his ordeal in Hamas captivity, saying he had been held in tunnels under the city but also in civilian apartments, where he was locked in rooms hidden from visitors.

Keith said he had received very little food and was often forced to eat meat to survive despite being a vegetarian.

He was also told that his son Shai had been killed on October 7 and that he only learned he was alive from listening to the radio.

Ofer and Yarden told Kan that they had been held in cages during the first few week, where they were regularly beaten and suffered from both physical and mental abuse.

Ofer, upon release from captivity, reportedly asked the IDF for a beer. He was told this was not possible due to his condition and that he would gradually need to readjust to avoid refeeding syndrome, which can be fatal.

Yarden described the extensive psychological torture Hamas put him under. His captors regularly spoke about his wife and children, Shiri, Kfir, and Ariel Bibas, who were also kidnapped on October 7. Hamas claimed they were killed in an Israeli airstrike in November 2023.

Aviva Siegel fighting for her husband

Aviva Siegel has spent the past year fighting for the release of her husband, Keith, after she was freed in November 2023. After he returned home after more than a year in Hamas captivity, he learned that his son, whom he believed to be dead, was, in fact, alive.

His release marks a significant moment in the ongoing negotiations for hostages still held by the terrorist organization. Keith and Aviva Siegel, longtime residents of Kibbutz Kfar Aza, were abducted from their home on October 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists launched a brutal attack on Israeli communities near the Gaza border. The couple was forced into their own vehicle and taken into the Gaza Strip. Aviva was released as part of a third round of hostage exchanges, but Keith remained in captivity until Saturday.

Since her release, Aviva has spoken publicly about the torment hostages endure in Hamas captivity, describing the inhumane conditions and psychological trauma inflicted on those held underground in tunnels beneath Gaza. “We were moved between 13 different locations, both above and below ground, over the 51 days I was there,” she recalled in an interview with Israel Hayom. “In one instance, we were placed in a tunnel where there was no air. We couldn’t speak. We could barely breathe.”

Aviva described moments of sheer terror when she and Keith believed they would not survive. “I prayed I would die first so I wouldn’t have to see Keith die in front of me,” she said in a separate interview with KAN. “Every day was a fight for survival. There was no air, no light. We were buried alive.”

The couple had built their life together over four decades in Kfar Aza, where they raised their four children and welcomed five grandchildren. Their youngest daughter, Shir, previously described her parents’ love for the kibbutz, saying, “They moved there more than 40 years ago and fell in love with the place. It became their home, and they built their family there.”

Aviva’s release in November brought some relief to the family, but their struggle was far from over. For more than a year, she campaigned tirelessly for Keith’s return, participating in rallies, speaking before government officials, and calling on world leaders to secure the release of all hostages. She traveled abroad, meeting with US President Joe Biden and other high-level officials to press for more diplomatic efforts. “I will never stop fighting until all our people are home,” she declared at a rally in Tel Aviv earlier this year.

In the months following her release, Aviva also became a vocal advocate for the young women still held by Hamas. Speaking before the Knesset, she testified about the sexual abuse and physical violence endured by female hostages. “These girls were turned into puppets for their captors,” she said in an emotional address covered by Haaretz. “They were dressed in tight clothing, forced to endure humiliations no human being should ever suffer. We must not forget them.”

Physical and emotional scars

As Keith reunites with his family, their ordeal is far from over. The physical and emotional scars left by more than a year in captivity will take time to heal. “I am grateful beyond words that Keith is back,” Aviva said in a statement to Channel 12. “But our fight is not over. Too many are still there, living in the darkness, suffering the unimaginable. We must bring them all home.”

The circumstances surrounding Keith’s release remain unclear, with Israeli officials continuing negotiations to secure the return of other hostages. The Israeli government has vowed to intensify its military and diplomatic efforts to ensure that no Israeli citizen remains in Hamas captivity.