Freed hostage Keith Siegel begs US President Donald Trump, ‘I saw tortures taken from the Middle Ages, we must bring them all home.’
Hamas captivity survivors Naama Levy, Keith Siegel, Omer Shem Tov, Iair Horn, and Doron Steinbrecher, alongside representatives of the families of some of the other hostages, gave a press conference in honor of US President Donald Trump’s 100 first days in office.
Former hostage Naama Levy said, “While the world turned a page with the inauguration of President Donald Trump, I remained buried deep underground, trapped in Hamas tunnels. I was released after 477 days where every moment stretched into eternity. Days filled with violence, darkness, fear, and heartbreaking longing for my beloved family.”
“I was brutally taken hostage from the Nahal Oz base. On that horrific morning of October 7th, I stood helpless, my heart shattering, as 15 of my dear friends, young, beautiful, full of life were brutally murdered before my very eyes.
“Their faces, their laughter, their dreams- they are carved into my heart forever. And then, it was my turn. Dragged violently as the entire world watched, thrown into the back of a terrorist jeep, treated not as a human being, but as a trophy.
“During every one of those 477 endless days in captivity, I clung desperately to a single hope: to see my family again. I succeeded. But the work is not yet done. There are still 59 souls trapped in brutal captivity. 59 want to breathe fresh air again. To simply live.
“Several weeks after my return home, on March 6th, I had the honor of meeting President Trump at the White House. He welcomed me with genuine warmth as he made me a promise: that he would not rest until every last hostage is free. Mr. President, You achieved what many thought was impossible. You led the deal that brought 38 hostages’ home including me. We, the survivors, know: You were a decisive and irreplaceable force. Saving lives. There are those who wake each morning aching for some good news that will make their world whole again. Mr. President, I stand before you not only with gratitude, but with a plea from the depths of my heart: Please, keep fighting for them. Use every ounce of strength, every tool you have, to bring them home. Even now, my soul remains divided, half here, half still imprisoned with those we left behind. True freedom will only be real when every last hostage is free.
“Mr. President, please , help bring them home. Bring them all home. Thank you.”
Released hostage Doron Steinbrecher said, “About 100 days ago, President Donald Trump resumed office. One day before that, on January 19th, I was released. And it is no coincidence. It was clear that the release of myself and my fellow hostages happened thanks to the election of President Trump, thanks to his immense efforts, and the efforts of his team, to bring us home. I was released after 471 days of brutal captivity by Hamas. 471 days of darkness. Most of that time was spent underground, trapped in the dark, suffocating tunnels, with no daylight, no sense of time, no assurance I would survive another day.”
“On the morning of Saturday, October 7th, I was violently taken hostage from my hiding place under my bed at my home, the place where I thought I would be safe. From there, I was torn away and thrown into a reality I never thought any human could survive. A few weeks after returning home, on March 6th, I met President Trump at the White House with a few of my fellow released hostages. That meeting is engraved into my heart forever. He didn’t just shake our hands, he embraced us warmly. And he made a promise to us: that he would fight until every hostage comes home. I stand here today, grateful for every breath of freedom I have been given. But along with gratitude, my heart is heavy. Because 59 hostages remain in captivity. 59 families trapped in endless cycles of hope and despair. These days are extremely hard. On Memorial Day, we bow our heads in honor of our fallen heroes. And I bow my head for dear friends I have lost, who were torn from us too soon, and whose absence will forever leave a hole in our hearts. And Independence Day? How can we truly celebrate independence when 59 of our brothers and sisters are still held captive?
“Mr. President, I stand here today not only to thank you, but to also ask you: Please, don’t stop. Continue to fight for them, just as you fought for me. Continue to be their voice, just as you gave me mine.
“I believe in you. I believe in your ability to bring them home. Please keep doing what others could not. You brought us back to life. Now, we need you to bring them back too. Thank you.”
Former hostage Keith Siegel shared, “I was held hostage by Hamas for 484 days before my release on February 1st, 2025. I’m 65 years old. I was born in California and raised in North Carolina—I’m a husband, a father of four, and a grandfather of five. I was released just weeks into President Trump’s term, — along with 37 other hostages. Our freedom represented a breakthrough after more than a year of deadlocked negotiations a breakthrough that many had thought impossible.”
“My family and I are eternally thankful to President Trump for prioritizing the hostage crisis since day one of his presidency and bringing me and so many others home. As we approach the 100th day of President Trump’s administration, as well as Israel’s Memorial and Independence Day, I reflect on what true freedom means. My home – Kfar Aza, was a peaceful kibbutz where Aviva and I built our life and raised our family for 41 years. It was a close-knit community, filled with warmth and belonging. But on October 7th, our world was shattered. 64 members of our community were murdered, and 19 were brutally kidnapped—including my wife, Aviva, and myself.
“I know many who remain in captivity—some from our life in Kfar Aza before October 7th, and others I met during my time in Gaza. Gali and Ziv Berman, twin brothers just 27 years old, have been part of our lives since they were little boys. They grew up on the kibbutz, surrounded by love, filled with dreams and passions — especially a deep love for soccer and music. I think constantly of Matan Angrest, who spent weeks with me in captivity before we were separated. Matan, who was just 21 when he was captured, is severely wounded. Since my return, I’ve formed a bond with his loved ones, who are still waiting and praying for his safe return.
“I was also held with Omri Miran for months. In captivity, I came to know a man of immense strength and an unbreakable spirit. Omri is a devoted father, with two young daughters waiting for him at home. Just days ago, Hamas released a video showing Omri marking his 48th birthday in a Gaza tunnel — his second in captivity. They — along with 55 other hostages — have been held in captivity for 18 agonizing months, over 570 days ripped away from their families, their dreams, and their lives. Every second of every day, I’m reminded that we cannot truly be free while our people remain in captivity. True independence will only exist when every one of our people is free.
“Families of hostages still in captivity cannot fully participate in Israel’s days of remembrance and celebration. How can they celebrate independence when their loved ones remain in chains? How can they honor the fallen when they don’t even have graves to visit? While I stand here free today, I carry the heavy burden of knowing what those still in captivity endure every single day. I survived horrors I could never have imagined — starvation, dehydration, relentless humiliation. I witnessed sexual assault. Trapped 130 feet underground in suffocating tunnels, I saw acts of medieval torture that still haunt me. These echoes of suffering have never left me — and for those still held captive, they are not echoes. They are reality.
“The breakthrough came immediately after President Trump was elected. Negotiations resumed within days, and the deal that brought me home was signed. When I was finally released, I was physically broken but had fulfilled my promise to Aviva—to survive. Thanks to President Trump’s decisive action, I was reunited with my family. Weeks after my release, I met President Trump in person and saw his deep commitment to bringing all remaining hostages home. As we look the 77th anniversary of Israel’s independence this week, it is well to remember that the United States has been Israel’s closest friend and ally literally since the day the country was founded. It was an American president who was the first world leader to recognize our new state. And now, once again, it is an American president who has prioritized the freedom of the many Israelis who remain in bondage and held in conditions of unspeakable cruelty. As his administration approaches its 100th day, I urge the President to continue his commitment: apply pressure, restart negotiations immediately, and secure a deal—now. Before it’s too late.
“The remaining 59 hostages deserve the same chance I had— a chance to heal, to reconnect, to live. And for those who were murdered, their families cannot begin to heal without the dignity of a proper burial. For Israel to truly celebrate its independence, every one of its citizens must be free. Thank you.”
Captivity survivor Omer Shem Tov recalled: “On October 7th, 2023, I was kidnapped from the Nova music festival and taken into Gaza. I spent 505 days in captivity — 505 days without freedom, without sunlight, with very little food and water, and without basic human dignity. I know what it feels like to be cut off from the world. I know what it means to live every moment with fear, isolation, and uncertainty. And I know how important it is — how urgent it is — to bring the hostages who are still there back home.”
“A few days after I was released, I had the honor of meeting President Trump in his office. I told him then, and I believe it with all my heart: he was sent by God to help save us. Because of his leadership, because he made the hostages a real priority, I was able to come home to my family. For that, my family and I will always be grateful. But our fight isn’t over. Today, there are still 59 hostages in Gaza — some fighting to survive, and others who were brutally murdered but have not yet been returned. Their families are living every single day with unbearable pain, caught between hope and heartbreak.
“This year, as we approach Israel’s Memorial Day and Independence Day — and as we mark 100 days of President Trump’s new administration — we are reminded what true freedom really means. Freedom is precious — for those who have come home, and for those still waiting to be saved. Freedom means bringing every hostage home. Independence means no one gets left behind. And remembrance means fighting for the living — and honoring the dignity of those we have lost. Even for those of us who made it home, healing can never feel complete while others are still left behind. A part of us remains there—with them. We won’t feel truly free until every hostage is back home.
“Let’s make sure the next 100 days are not just a milestone — but the days we bring them home, and bring hope back to all of us. Thank you.”
