US President Donald Trump invited former hostages Iair Horn and Keith and Aviva Siegel to tell their stories in front of 3,000 guests at the National Republican Congressional Committee.
“I am here, and I am alive. President Trump, you saved my life. You saved the life of 33 hostages because of your efforts,” Keith Siegel said at Tuesday’s event. Each of the former hostages was wearing a yellow scarf.
Horn, who wore a shirt with his brother’s face and “Bring Eitan home now!” printed on it, talked about how he “saw the light” once Trump was elected.
“We knew there is now someone who makes things happen. We knew we needed someone who does things; that’s President Trump,” he said.
“You know, I’m a simple man. I’m running the bar in the kibbutz in Nir Oz, where I live, and now I’m here with President Trump, who’s running the world.”
MUST WATCH: "I am here and I am alive. President Trump, you saved my life. You saved the life of 33 hostages because of your efforts." pic.twitter.com/znhgp0t4sP
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 9, 2025
Chants of 'bring them home'
Last year, the Republican National Convention hosted Ronen and Orna Neutra, parents of Israeli-American hostage Omer Neutra, whose body is still being held by Hamas in Gaza.
At the beginning of her remarks, Orna said, “Our son Omer is an American citizen. For 285 long days and nights, Hamas terrorists have been holding Omer in prison in tunnels underneath Gaza. Omer, which is a biblical name that means ‘the first crop,’ is our firstborn.”
The Neutras also spoke at last year’s Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual convention, where many in the crowd wore yellow ribbons and dog tags symbolizing the captives’ plight, a focus of the audience and speakers at the event.
Ronen Neutra, Omer’s father, opened his speech with a moment of mourning for the six captives executed by Hamas the week prior. The audience stood in total silence.
“May their memories be a blessing, and may we bring the rest of them home before it’s too late,” he told the crowd.