‘Scared to death’: Wife of Hamas hostage from N. Carolina begs Congress for help

WASHINGTON — Aviva Siegel remembers the torture of being held by Hamas terrorists in Gaza after they captured her and her husband, Keith, at their kibbutz in Israel.

She remembers her hunger. She remembers her thirst.

She remembers not knowing if there was enough oxygen in the underground tunnels for her to take her next breath.

She remembers begging to talk. She remembers begging to stand. She remembers begging to be allowed to move her body.

And she knows Keith, a Chapel Hill native, is begging Hamas to release him so he can be reunited with his wife.

Keith and Aviva Siegel were driving together when they were captured on Oct. 7 by Hamas, considered a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada and the European Union. That day Hamas brutally attacked Israel, killing at least 1,200 people and taking more than 240 hostage.

Hamas released Aviva during a humanitarian cease-fire in November, but her husband remains captive, and she told a room of lawmakers at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday she hopes he is still alive.

“I hope that one day he will be able to see the sun and breathe fresh air,” she said. She told McClatchy exclusively that Keith told her before her release that one of the first things he wants to do after he leaves Gaza is come back to North Carolina and visit his mother, who, because of her age, hasn’t been told about his captivity.

Aviva has said in past overseas interviews that she witnessed sexual assaults of another woman. She said Wednesday that no woman should be touched without her permission and no human should go through the torture the hostages have.

She added that during her 51 days in captivity there were days she wanted Hamas “to kill me.”

And she said though her body left the tunnels in November, her soul remains with Keith. “I still feel like I’m in those dark, scary tunnels,” Siegel said. “I’m scared to death.”

Siegel was one of three family members of hostages that remain in Gaza who came to Washington seeking help. A larger group, including Siegel, met with Biden administration officials at the White House on Tuesday afternoon.

Siegel was the only one of Wednesday’s group with firsthand experience of the trauma faced by the hostages.

Siegel finished her own statements at the Capitol on Wednesday “begging” for help from Congress.

“We need help,” she said. “Keith needs your help. One hundred thirty-three people are now screaming for your help. You have to bring him home today.”