Freed American-Israeli hostage details starvation and abuse by Hamas as families push Trump for deal
A former Hamas hostage who endured more than 480 days in captivity said he suffered from starvation, dehydration and abuse at the hands of his captors.
Keith Siegel, an American-Israeli who was released in February during a fragile ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, told "Special Report" that he and other hostages suffered "all sorts of abuse."
"I personally experienced severe violence, being kicked and being spat on and just being threatened with death, had weapons, guns pointed at me, and they were telling me they were going to kill me," he said.
Fifty hostages remain in Gaza, 20 of whom are believed to be alive, according to numbers compiled by Fox News.
Siegel, Anat Angrest and Lishay Lavi-Miran, the family members of hostages still held by Hamas, met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio last week in Washington, D.C., to push for a comprehensive deal to secure the release of all remaining hostages, as ceasefire talks stall.
Siegel highlighted the dire conditions that hostages have lived in for nearly two years since the Oct. 7, 2023, terror attacks in southern Israel.
"Sometimes there was food. Sometimes there was not food. But you never knew what to expect," he said. "I'm here to talk about the life-threatening situation that they are in, and I'm talking about the urgency to bring them all home. Every day that passes is a day where the hostage's situation is deteriorating."
ARAB NATIONS FOR FIRST TIME PRESSURE HAMAS TO DISARM, RELINQUISH POWER IN GAZA
Angrest, whose son Matan was pulled from his tank on Oct. 7 while serving in the Israeli Defense Forces, told Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier that her son was badly injured when he was taken. He spent two months with Siegel in Gaza, who said the Israeli soldier suffered from burns and injuries.
"I must go on believing he's coming back and I dream about the day that he's coming to his warm bed. The same sheets wait for him," said the mother of four. "I'm here because I'm optimistic, because I believe President Trump [will] actually act to go on saving lives and bring all the 50 back home."
Lavi-Miran, a mother of two, whose husband, Omri, was taken from their home at Kibbutz Nahal Oz, added that he’s the oldest hostage still captive in Gaza.
Her children were two and six months old at the time, and Lavi-Miran says they want to know their father.
"We need the courage like Trump [had this past] six months and Keith with us is evidence that it can be," she said.
ISRAEL ANNOUNCES IMMEDIATE RESUMPTION OF GAZA AID AIDROPS AMID GROWING HUNGER CRISIS
White House special envoy Steve Witkoff wrote in a post on X in late July that the United States was pulling out of ceasefire talks with Hamas in Doha because the militant group wasn’t negotiating seriously.
"It is a shame that Hamas has acted in this selfish way," Witkoff said. "We are resolute in seeking an end to this conflict and a permanent peace in Gaza."
Israel announced it would pause fighting in the enclave to allow more humanitarian aid to enter amid a global outcry over images of emaciated Palestinian children.
The World Food Programme said nearly a quarter of Gaza’s population is enduring famine-like conditions and the remaining population is facing emergency levels of hunger.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there is no starvation in Gaza and blamed Hamas for stealing aid.
President Donald Trump acknowledged to reporters that there was "real starvation" in the Strip and vowed to step up humanitarian efforts.
French President Emmanuel Macron said his country will recognize a Palestinian state in September at the U.N. General Assembly and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that his country would also recognize a Palestinian state unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire in Gaza.