Speaker of the House Mike Johnson met on Wednesday with hostage families in Washington, D.C.
The meeting took place at the US Capitol, involving families of both Israeli and American hostages who were kidnapped on October 7, 2023, by Hamas terrorists.
Speaker Johnson expressed his profound solidarity with the families and reaffirmed both the current and incoming administrations’ commitment to securing the release of all hostages.
During the meeting, the families urged the Speaker to prioritize their loved ones' plight and take decisive action. Speaker Johnson echoed their urgency, emphasizing the critical need to take the hostages out from Hamas's tunnels of death as quickly as possible, highlighting the imminent danger they face with each passing day.
Released hostage Aviva Siegel, wife of American hostage Keith Siegel, shared harrowing details of her 51-day captivity in Gaza and her deep concern for those still held.
"We cannot allow human beings to endure what I experienced—the most horrific ordeal imaginable," she stated. "The hostages live in constant terror, uncertain if they will survive, fearing torture, abuse, or starvation. They wait endlessly to be saved, dreading who might be next to die. I cannot bear to think of the girls I left behind, exposed to sexual violence, fearing every day that they might be touched, violated and harassed. I was released through a negotiated deal and could have easily died. If we abandon them, we condemn them to potential death each day. Now is the moment to seal the deal and secure their freedom."
The families of Romi Gonen, Naama Levy, Karina Ariev, as well as the families of American hostages: Keith Siegel, Sagui Dekel Chen, Edan Alexander, Itay Chen, Judi Weinstein Haggai and Gad Haggai, participated in the meeting.
On Tuesday, the families of American hostages in Gaza met with National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan to discuss ongoing efforts by the Biden administration to secure the release of the remaining 100 hostages, including seven Americans.
During the discussion, the families reiterated their appreciation for the administration’s continued engagement and support since the October 7 attacks. They emphasized the need for close coordination with President-elect Trump’s team to secure the hostages’ release immediately. The families urged Sullivan to utilize all available resources to bring their loved ones home before the administration's term ends.
Sullivan reaffirmed the administration’s steadfast commitment to working with President-elect Trump and his team to secure the safe release of all hostages, emphasizing that this remains a critical priority for President Biden. He updated the families on current negotiations and assured them that the administration would continue to dedicate maximum effort toward resolving this crisis.