Keith Samuel Siegel, a 65-year-old American-Israeli dual national, was released on Saturday as part of the hostage-ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel.
Siegel was abducted from Kfar Aza along with his wife of 44 years, Aviva, on October 7.
The pair were driven to Gaza in Keith’s car along with 19 others from their kibbutz.
Keith’s ribs were reportedly broken on October 7, according to the American Jewish Committee. Concerns for his health were further elevated when Emily Damari, a British-Israeli released in the first week of the deal, reportedly asked Hamas to release Keith in her place - citing his health.
A father to four and grandfather to five, Siegel is described by friends from his kibbutz as a homebody who loves nature and quality time with his family.
He is known for his kind, quiet, and gentle behavior. He is a dedicated vegetarian and involved with yoga and meditation; his wife Aviva called him a peacemaker and an activist. Siegel lived with a deep interpersonal connection to others, learning Arabic 30 years ago to speak with the kibbutz's Palestinian workers, whom he quickly befriended.
America, Israel celebrate
The Siegel family released a statement on Saturday following his release: “We can finally breathe in after 484 long days and scary nights. We would like to thank the Israeli and US governments for making this blessed deal happen – this deal centers human life and Jewish-Israeli values.”
The family also spoke about the importance of bringing all the remaining hostages home: “Our father was cruelly taken from this nation’s land, and today he has returned – as citizens of this nation, we must ensure the return of every living hostage to their families and the proper burial in Israel of all murdered.”
Aviva was released as part of the first hostage deal in November 2023, leaving Gaza after her captors reassured her that in a day or two, her husband would join her, the couple’s niece told the Media Line.
Hamas released a video of Keith in April 2024, where he called for demonstrations demanding a deal in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
After over a year in Hamas captivity, Siegel will return to the news that his mother passed away at age 97 in December 2024 - unable to see her son return or say goodbye.
“My father couldn’t come to say goodbye to his mother, who will never be able to return. My father is a man who has done nothing but good his whole life, who believes in good and loves people,” Keith’s daughter, Elan, said. “Dad won’t be able to stand with us tomorrow at the cemetery; he won’t be able to say goodbye to the woman who raised him and loved him his whole life. A violent and murderous terrorist organization dictates our lives from the Gaza Strip to the powerful United States, and the world is silent.”
While in captivity, it was reported that Keith would ask other hostages one thing they were thankful for every day, trying to show light in a time of darkness. When Aviva and he were held in captivity together, Keith always tried to recall what he has seen or said to keep his memory sharp, so that when he returns to Israel, he could tell his story. The last time he saw his wife was in November 2023 during the weeklong ceasefire, his words to her as she was taken to be released were a promise that he would stay strong.
Originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Keith made aliyah to Israel in 1980, where he began working as an occupational therapist.
One of their daughters, Shir Siegel, imagined her father’s return and readjustment to life in Israel, hoping that the family could all come together like they used to. She hopes to make pancakes topped with maple syrup on Saturday morning with the family, just like her father used to love.
Following Keith’s release, the Siegel family published his pancake recipe, asking all homes in Israel to eat some in celebration of his return.
Abigail Rubinstein contributed to this report.