(NewsNation) — Tortured, starved and holding onto life without lights or water, Keith Siegel’s story is one of survival.
In Hamas captivity for 484 days during the war in Gaza, the Israeli American was released Feb. 1, along with two other hostages that day. He was the first American to be freed.
Though he’s doing “OK” now, Keith didn’t think he would live to see freedom, his wife told NewsNation’s “Morning in America with Hena Doba” Sunday morning.
“He went through so many days of torture and so many times of minutes that he didn’t think that he would survive,” said Aviva Siegel, a survivor herself.
In the beginning of Keith’s transition to freedom, he wanted to be alone, Aviva said, but she understood.
A redeeming moment following the tragedy was meeting his grandchildren.
“They all cried. And to see my grandson that’s 10 years old crying and just hugging kids and not letting go,” Aviva said. “We are just the happiest people in Earth to have him back.”
Surviving Hamas
Hamas militants paraded him in front of a crowd, a consistent feature of the hostage releases in which some smiled and waved despite appearing physically weak.
“For the last half a year, he was lying on the mattress on the floor. And he was alone most of the time. He didn’t have anybody to talk to anybody to feel that he’s with somebody, just with the Arabs and with the Hamas terrorists.”
He lost 50 kilograms – 110 pounds.
Keith recorded a message about his experience after he was released.
“I was starved and I was tortured, both physically and emotionally,” Keith said in the video. “When the war intensified, the terrorists who helped me treated me even worse than usual. Terrorists kicked me, spat on me and held me with no water, no light and no air to breathe.”
Now that her husband is home, Aviva said she feels “like a different person,” but she is heartbroken for the families who haven’t been reunited with their loved ones, saying captivity is like “going through hell.”
“Nobody in this world should go through with what I went through and what Keith went through,” she said. She was held hostage for nearly two months, released long before her husband.
More hostages expected to be freed
The Israeli government is delaying the release of more than 600 Palestinian prisoners until the next hostage release, according to the prime minister’s office.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admonished Hamas’ actions, calling the charades “disgraceful ceremonies.”
Hamas has said it would release four hostages next week.
Netanyahu’s ultimatum puts the phase-two negotiations and the fate of the remaining living hostages into question as the war drags on past 500 days.
On Saturday, six hostages were liberated in the final release of the first phase of the three-part ceasefire deal.
Last week was an unexpected rollercoaster of emotions when it came to another family, the Bibases.
Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas’ body was supposed to be returned last week, along with the bodies of her two sons and another hostage, Oded Lifshitz. Hamas had turned over the wrong body to Israel, now determined to be that of an unidentified Palestinian woman. Days later, Bibas’ body was returned to her family.
Hearing the news, “just broke my heart … I think it’s just a slap in the face,” Aviva said. “I didn’t even think that they’re able to do something so cruel. But they did.”
Her message to the Israeli government: “Get them out now. Don’t even think of (causing) any problems because we need them back now. We need them back alive.”