Amid ongoing talks for a ceasefire in Gaza in Qatar and fears of a missed opportunity for a comprehensive hostage release deal, hostage families’ representatives delivered an impassioned plea to international media in Washington on Wednesday, urging U.S. and Israeli leaders to act decisively before it’s too late.
Former hostage Keith Siegel recounted his captivity in central Gaza’s Deir al-Balah, where fighting is now intensifying. “I was held with other hostages,” he said. “I stand here today to say, without hesitation: the fighting endangers their lives every second. Every moment without a deal increases the danger. I was there and I know what they’re going through.”
Hostage families’ representatives in Washington
(Video: Hostages and Missing Families Forum)
Orna and Ronen Neutra, parents of hostage Omer Neutra, recalled standing on the same Washington lawn a year ago, on the brink of a deal that collapsed, escalating the war. “Today marks 656 days of this endless war,” they said.
“Fifty hostages remain in Gaza. Another deal seems within reach but the longer the war drags on, the less likely we’ll recover even the remains of the fallen. We can’t accept a future where our children are abandoned in Gaza. We need a deal—for the living and the dead, for a chance to say goodbye.”
Anat Angrest, mother of hostage Matan Angrest, highlighted the urgency, noting that a year ago, Alon Gat warned that his sister Carmel’s life was at risk without a deal. “Carmel and five others were murdered weeks later,” she said.
“Today, I say the same: my son’s life is in danger without a deal. It’s life or death. The hostages have no time. My son has no time. A year later, we’re still here, begging for our loved ones’ return. This nightmare must end now.”
Lishay Miran-Lavi, wife of hostage Omri Miran, appealed to U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration: “The U.S. has shown it can move mountains when it decides to. Please, do it again.
“Use every ounce of influence, every minute. Omri has no time. None of them do. This isn’t political—it’s human. It’s a four-year-old girl wanting her father’s goodnight kiss. It’s 50 people. We don’t need more time—we need courage and leadership.”
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Liran Berman, brother of hostages Gali and Ziv Berman, emphasized the stakes. “My brothers remain a symbol of resilience and hope in one of Israel’s darkest chapters,” he said. “Kidnapped from their home during Hamas’s brutal attack, which killed thousands and devastated families, their fate hangs in the balance.
“Nearly a year ago, six hostages were executed due to military pressure. Their deaths are a painful reminder of the urgency for a comprehensive deal. In January, at President Trump’s inauguration, we heard his promise to stand with us until the last hostage returns. Now is the time to fulfill that pledge—before it’s too late.”