US President Donald Trump speaks during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the East Room at the White House in Washington, US, Feb. 4, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Leah Millis

Keith Siegel, an American-Israeli who was recently released from Gaza as part of the ongoing Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal, lauded US President Donald Trump’s successful efforts to secure the release of hostages in a new video, urging Trump to continue fighting until the remaining captives are freed from the enclave.

“President Trump, you are the reason I am home alive. You are the reason I was reunited with my beloved wife, four children, and five grandchildren. Thank you,” Siegel said in the video released by his family and hostage advocacy groups. “Thank you for your continued fight against terror and for your bold leadership that has brought me and many others back home, to our families, to safety and to security.”

Siegel, 65, pressed Trump to continue his work on securing the freedom of the remaining captives in Gaza. He touted Trump’s “strength and leadership” while urging the US president to “put an end to the unnecessarily daily dangers” endured by the hostages.

“Mr. President, once again your leadership, power, and authority are necessary to enforce the ceasefire and put an end to the unnecessary daily dangers to the lives of innocent hostages and civilians. Your leadership and strength will ensure the agreement is honored by all sides,” Siegel said “That is what will allow all 76 hostages to return home to their families. I trust your strength and leadership, Mr. President. The helpless hostages in the dark, cold tunnels in Gaza also trust you.”

 

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The Palestinian terrorist group Hamas on Friday announced the next three hostages set for release from Gaza on Saturday, at least for the moment preserving the fragile ceasefire from collapse. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office released a statement saying Israel accepted the list of names, but that was later corrected to say Israel had simply “received” the list.

“This was a mere factual description that does not reflect an Israeli comment on the issue,” the updated statement noted

Hamas-led Palestinian terrorists started the war in Gaza when they murdered 1,200 people and kidnapped 251 hostages during their invasion of southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Israel responded with a military campaign aimed at freeing the hostages and dismantling Hamas’s military and governing capabilities in the neighboring enclave. The conflict raged for nearly 16 months until both sides agreed to last month’s ceasefire and hostage-release deal, the first phase of which is set to last six weeks.

Siegel wrote that while in Gaza he “lived in constant fear” and was “starved and tortured, both physically and emotionally” by Hamas.

Trump made returning the hostages and punishing Hamas a centerpiece of his presidential campaign. He had repeatedly criticized his predecessor, former US President Joe Biden, for allegedly impeding Israel’s ability to successfully defeat Hamas and securing the release of the hostages in Gaza.

Under phase one of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the terrorist group agreed to free a total of 33 Israeli hostages, eight of whom are deceased, and in exchange, Israel would release over 1,900 Palestinian prisoners, many of whom are serving life sentences for terrorist activity. Thus far, 16 of the 33 hostages have been released from Gaza during the first phase.

Last week, Hamas threatened to renege on its agreement to release a new batch of hostages from the coastal enclave, accusing Israel of violating the terms of the ceasefire by preventing Palestinians from returning to northern Gaza, firing missiles into Gaza, and obstructing humanitarian aid from entering Gaza. Israel vehemently denied these allegations and threatened to restart the war if the terrorist group did not release the hostages who it originally agreed to free.

Trump subsequently encouraged Israel to resume the war in Gaza and “let hell break out” if Hamas refused to release all the remaining hostages on Saturday. 

“As far as I’m concerned, if all of the hostages aren’t returned by Saturday at 12 o’clock, I think it’s an appropriate time. I would say, cancel it and all bets are off and let hell break out. I’d say they ought to be returned by 12 o’clock on Saturday,” Trump said to reporters. 

Currently, 76 hostages remain in Gaza, including 73 kidnapped on Oct. 7, 2023.