Aviva Siegel, who survived Hamas captivity in Gaza and was released in a November 2023 prisoner swap, spoke at a Tel Aviv event to raise awareness of the hostages' plight. Addressing her captive husband Keith, Aviva said: "You're so missed here, and I keep asking myself - how are you? Where are you?" "How is it possible that so much time has passed since that terrible moment when they separated us? When we looked into each other's eyes and you couldn't say anything, I was left with your sad eyes that accompany me everywhere, every moment." "I hope they've given you something to eat, that your stomach doesn't ache from hunger - what a terrible feeling that is. You must be thinking how our leaders could have heard about how they starved us, yet you're still there. Related articles: Family of hostage Matan Angrest to reveal footage from kidnapping "Eid Mubarak". “Let us love, Let us be loved” Hamas captivity survivors take off for US Israel passes counter-proposal for ceasefire to mediators "You must be thinking about how I told them about the time they abused you so badly you couldn't speak for three days, and you're still there. You must keep thinking about the day of the kidnapping, like you always did - how they shot your hand and only I treated you, how they threw you on the floor and broke your ribs. The pain... how much it hurt you and how no one cared. How can human beings be so cruel?" She added, "There were moments when we believed we would be at our daughter's wedding. It kept us going, it gave us a lot of hope and light within the great darkness." Aviva concluded her emotional appeal by addressing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom she met yesterday alongside other captivity survivors: "You looked me in the eyes and promised to bring Keith home. I no longer believe in words - I want to see action." "Keith cannot hold on much longer, and we both know it. Bring him home today! Bring back hope! Bring back our ability to breathe and live in the country we love so much. We can never begin to heal as long as there are hostages in Gaza."
