Freed Hostage Keith Siegel Shares Harrowing Tale of Captivity in Gaza

Keith Siegel opens up about the psychological and physical torment he faced while being held hostage by Hamas for nearly 16 months, providing insight into the challenges still faced by other hostages in Gaza.

In an exclusive interview with The New York Times, Keith Siegel, an Israeli American from North Carolina, has come forward to detail the grueling 484 days he spent as a hostage in Gaza. Captured on October 7, 2023, during a Hamas-led assault, Siegel recounts the dire conditions of captivity, marked by scarce food and water, alongside constant threats of violence for any disobedience.

One particularly harrowing incident involved his witnessing a female captive being taken from a group of hostages to face a brutal “medieval-style” interrogation. Siegel was commanded to aid in the torment, revealing the complete disregard for human life maintained by the captors. He described the scene, saying, “I was told to go into the room and to tell the person that the torturing will continue until they admit what they were being accused of.”

Siegel's release on February 1 came as part of a fragile cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas. However, he noted that numerous hostages remain unaccounted for, with about 59 still held captive and 35 presumed dead by Israeli authorities. The emotional scars of his ordeal serve as a grim reminder of the human suffering persistent amid conflict, and the ongoing plight of those still caught in the crossfire.