At the Jerusalem Conference in New York City, Keith and Aviva Siegel—two survivors of Hamas captivity—shared their harrowing story in an emotional conversation with Arutz Sheva’s Yoni Kempinski.

The couple’s testimony offered a sobering glimpse into the suffering of hostages still trapped in Gaza and a passionate plea to the world: "We need to bring them back now."

“It’s special for me to be here,” Keith Siegel began. “I had no idea to the extent that Aviva, and my family, and the people of Israel were fighting to get me and to get all of us back… Truly amazing and very, very proud.”

Aviva, released before her husband in the first deal in November of 2023, described the disbelief and fear that accompanied her final hours in captivity. “I didn’t believe them when they said that you’re going to Israel because they lied to us all the time… Then I met the soldiers, and I burst into tears. I cried like a baby.”

Aviva described the moment she learned her son Shai had survived the October 7th massacre. “I said to the girl, the social worker that was with us, that I think I’m going to faint… and then she told me, ‘Your son is alive.’ I didn’t even think about myself coming out, just that my son is alive.”

But joy quickly turned to worry as Keith remained behind. “I was very, very worried about Keith… The Hamas terrorist said that Keith is going to come home maybe tomorrow or the day after. I tried to believe that, but it just didn’t happen. So I fought for Keith for a year and a half.”

When they finally reunited in the most previous hostage release deal, Aviva said, “Keith had lost more than 30 kilos. He looked like a skeleton. He looked sad. And he didn’t look like Keith… It was a miracle.”

Still, their mission is far from over. “I cannot allow myself to go back to life and just forget about what’s happening,” Aviva said. “We need them so badly. Israel, most of the people—at least 99%—when they see me, they cry… and it’s still 58 hostages. I just don’t understand us as humans leaving them there.”

Keith echoed her urgency. “I was held in captivity for 484 days… The most difficult challenge was not knowing when or even if I was going to be released… I just want you to please, please do whatever you can do—to help us, all of us together—to get all of the 58 hostages back as soon as possible.”

Both Keith and Aviva have now made advocacy their life’s mission. “We are totally committed and engaged to do whatever we can do, Aviva and I and our family,” Keith said. “That’s what we’re focused on for now.”

Aviva added, “The right time was yesterday, a year ago, a long time ago… I cannot see myself going back to life and forgetting about what’s happening. Not while Gali and Zivi (Berman, who are from Kibbutz Kfar Aza like the Siegels), and all the others, are still there.”

Speaking to the families of fallen Israeli soldiers, Keith offered heartfelt thanks: “My message is that I hug you all… I am very, very grateful and appreciative. They were killed while trying to get us out and also defending the State of Israel.”

Aviva also shared a moment from just the day before: “Yesterday we were walking in the park and somebody came up to me and said he’s going back to the army… He had tears in his eyes and I hugged him and we both cried. These are kids. He’s young… and I’m very worried.”

She concluded with a moral call to action: “I touched death. So they’re suffering—and us, as Jews, need to do everything we can to get them all out. And that’s what Keith and I are doing.”