Keith Siegel, 65, a survivor of Hamas captivity who was released earlier this month as part of the second hostage deal, returned to Kfar Aza on Monday to see the devastation caused in the Hamas massacre on October 7, when he was abducted by the terrorists to Gaza.
He filmed a video thanking President Trump. "Two weeks after I was returned from the Gaza Strip, I asked to visit Kfar Aza, my home, the place from which I was abducted to hell," he said. "While I was in captivity, I imagined thousands of times the moment I’d be able to return home. I hoped it would happen sooner, and that I wouldn’t have to endure the journey of torture that I went through."
Kieth Seigal ina message to Trump fro Kfar Aza
(Hostages and Missing Families Forum)
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Keith Seigal arrives at hospital after his release from Hamas captivity
(Photo: Ronen Zvulun / Reuters)
In the video, which President Trump shared on his social media platform "TruthSocial," Keith addressed him in English against the backdrop of the ruins of Kfar Aza: "Thank you for everything you’ve done to get the hostages out of Gaza. You can see the enormous destruction that Hamas did on the October 7 massacre. It's hard to believe and comprehend what I'm seeing today. Homes that were destroyed by Hamas, that were burned. People of the Kibbutz were murdered, burned alive. I wanted to say to you once again how urgent it is to get all of the hostages out of Gaza... we all urge you to continue your efforts."
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After filming his post Siegal said returning to Kfar Aza evoked difficult feelings. "I didn’t realize how hard coming home would be," he said. "My house is broken and shattered, just like my heart. The harsh sights triggered traumatic and painful memories that will forever remain etched in my body and soul. For me, October 7 hasn’t ended, and it won’t end until everyone comes home."
He added, "Our community has gone through the worst imaginable, and we won’t be able to recover until Gali, Ziv, and all the hostages come home. Everything must be done urgently to bring our brothers and sisters back. After that, we’ll do whatever it takes to rebuild and truly feel safe again."
Arbel Yehoud, who was released from Hamas captivity at the end of January, wrote a letter to her partner, Ariel Konyo, who remains held by the terror organization in Gaza. "Pap, my love, do you remember when we arrived in Panama? One of our first days there, we went on a bike ride around Bocas del Toro. Halfway through, I told you, 'That’s enough, let’s go back,' but every few minutes, you kept saying, 'Just a little further, beautiful, just a little further,' and we kept going. Eventually, we found a secluded spot on the beach, as if someone had painted it with a brush—there was no one else around.
"I remember looking at you before we sat down. My eyes said: 'Thank you for insisting we keep going—you brought me to a view that filled my heart with butterflies.' My love, we’ve been thrown into a journey we never chose, one that is destroying our lives. But now, I’m the one who’s insisting. Be strong. Hold on to that incredible calm of yours. Believe in the good, even when it feels impossible. There’s no other option, no other ending—only the moment you come back, and we find a new breathtaking view that fills our hearts with butterflies again. I love you."