Biden: Keith Siegel was freed as part of ceasefire deal my team and I negotiated

Former US President Joe Biden on Saturday welcomed the release from Hamas captivity of Keith Siegel, who also holds US citizenship.

Siegel was freed along with Ofer Calderon and Yarden Bibas.

“I join Americans, Israelis, and people around the world in welcoming home Keith Siegel, an American held hostage by Hamas for 484 days, as part of the ceasefire deal my team and I negotiated. I look forward to the remaining hostages, including additional Americans, being reunited with their families soon,” Biden wrote in a post on social media site X.

“I can only imagine the relief and joy that Keith’s family must be feeling today. For more than a year, my team and I met with his family, including his wife Aviva who was once a hostage herself. I was continuously inspired by their strength and resilience as they did everything in their power to ensure he was not forgotten,” added Biden.

“My thoughts and prayers are with them and with all the families of the hostages today, all of whom have suffered so much,” he concluded.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris also commented on Siegel’s release, writing, “Doug and I are full of joy and relief to see American Keith Siegel reunited with his family. We join all those around the world who are celebrating his release and the release of other hostages in recent days and weeks.”

She added, “We continue to pray for the Americans and all of the remaining hostages held in captivity in Gaza by Hamas. We stand with them and their families. All the hostages must be brought home.”

The ceasefire and hostage release deal currently being implemented by Israel and Hamas was first laid out by Biden last May.

However, the agreement was only signed after President Donald Trump, before he took office, intervened together with his Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, pushing both sides to agree to the deal.

In early December 2024, Trump became personally involved in the issue of the hostages held in Gaza when he threatened that there would be "all hell to pay" if the hostages are not freed by the time of his inauguration on January 20, repeating that threat multiple times.