Hamas released on Saturday a clip in which two Israeli hostages, 64-year-old Omri Miran and 46-year-old Keith Siegel, are seen alive as part of the terror group’s psychological warfare strategy. The video comes days after a similar clip was released showing a sign of life from Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a 23-year-old dual U.S.-Israeli citizen being held in Gaza.
Siegel, an occupational therapist, was abducted from his home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza with his partner, Aviva Adrienne Sigal, who was released from captivity after 51 days in the Gaza Strip. Miran was taken from his home in Nahal Oz in front of his family.
Sigal says in the video, "I want to tell my family that I love you very much. It's important to me that you know I'm okay, and I really hope you are too. I have very fond memories from last year’s Passover when we all celebrated together, and I really hope we'll have the best surprise we could hope for.
Crying, he adds, “We're in danger here. There are bombings, and it's stressful and scary, and it's been going on for a very long time. I wonder and think to myself when it’ll end. Sometimes it feels like things are dragging on. I appeal to the prime minister and the entire government to hold negotiations to reach a deal soon, so that all of the hostages will return home to their families soon, just like you are with yours. I've seen the protests in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, and I hope and believe that all of you will continue this. Goodbye and hopefully I’ll see you soon."
Miran says, "My dear family, I miss you all. Dad, my brothers, my sister, my beloved Shai, Roni and Alma, my dear daughters. We couldn't celebrate any holiday together this year because of this cursed war. I hope that at least we can all celebrate the next holiday together, Independence Day.
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Protest calling for the release of hostages in Tel Aviv
(Photo: The change Generation)
“I've been in Hamas captivity for 202 days already. The situation isn’t pleasant, it's tough, there are a lot of bombings. It's time to reach a deal that will get us out of here alive, whole, and in good health. I want you to do everything you can, put pressure in every possible way and continue to demonstrate so that negotiations and a deal could be reached now."
Note: It is reasonable to assume the things said in the video were written for the captives to say as part of Hamas's psychological warfare tactics.
Miran's father told Channel 12 following the clip's release, “This is the first sign of life from him, I’m tearing up with emotion. I saw a picture of how I thought he'd be: with a beard. It's very painful. He looks great physically, I only hope his mental condition is still sound.”
Aviva Siegel, 62, who was abducted from her home with her husband Keith and released as part of the first hostage release deal, addressed the video, saying, “Keith, I love you. We’ll fight, fight until you come back.
His daughters, Shir and Ilan, said, “Seeing my father today only highlights to us all how much we need to reach a deal as soon as possible to get everyone back home. I demand leaders see this video and think about their fathers calling for help. We won’t stop fighting together.”
The families and other Israelis will protest on Saturday in several points across the country to demand the release of the 133 hostages still held in the Strip.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden wrote on his X account Saturday while sharing a photo from 4-year-old Abiagail Edan's visit to the White House, saying, "I will not rest until every hostage, like Abigail, ripped from their families and held by Hamas is back in the arms of their loved ones. They have my word. Their families have my word."
Biden's statement comes against the backdrop of resuming talks for a hostage release deal between the two sides, the second one during the now seven-month-long war, which has been negotiated for months. An Egyptian delegation arrived in Israel on Friday, after Israel's War Cabinet has discussed a new proposal for the deal in recent days.