Français
Español
English
Portuguese
“I was certain I would die at any moment. They threatened me, starved me, and gave me insufficient water. I lost 22 pounds in that time.”
By United with Israel Staff
During Israel’s delegation appearance before the United Nations Committee Against Torture (UNCAT) in Geneva on Wednesday, hostages Keith and Aviva Siegel delivered shocking testimony about the abuse they endured while held captive by Hamas terrorists.
“I am not asking for your mercy. I am asking you to ensure that the atrocities carried out by these terrorists against me and others in captivity never happen again,” Keith Siegel told the committee.
Keith Siegel recounted the brutal conditions of his captivity. “For 50 days, I was with Aviva until her release. After that, I was sometimes held with other captives and sometimes in complete isolation. In total, I spent about six months entirely alone, at age 66, cut off from the world, terrified, with no knowledge of what had happened to my loved ones. For sheer ‘entertainment,’ the guards compared my body parts with those of other prisoners, threatened us with knives, humiliated us, and denied us basic needs such as using the restroom until we could not hold it anymore. Every basic human right was stripped from me. I was starved and even denied water. More than once, terrorists forced me to strip before them and shaved my body.”
Reflecting on the psychological toll, Siegel said, “Throughout my captivity in Gaza, I imagined the moment I would return home to visit my elderly mother. The first thing I asked my wife when I landed at the hospital was about her condition. She had passed away two months before my release. She never got to know I returned. I did not get to say goodbye.”
Aviva Siegel also testified, describing her own ordeal in vivid detail. “When we were taken underground in Gaza, there was a child from my community. The Hamas terrorists bound his hands with plastic cuffs. He was covered in blood, we were covered in blood, and afterward, when one of the terrorists came to remove his cuffs, he cut his hand. I wanted to scream, and I saw the terrorist smiling while doing it.”
She continued, “For 51 days, I was certain I would die at any moment. They threatened me, starved me, and gave me insufficient water. I lost 10 kilograms (22 pounds) in that time. I hid food for Keith. I watched him lose weight. We wasted away while the terrorists ate before us and gave us nothing.”
Aviva further described the abuse inflicted on other captives. “One day, one of the young women emerged from the shower trembling. I wasn’t permitted to hug her, but I did anyway. She later told us that one of the terrorists had touched her entire body and did whatever he wanted. Additionally, a 16-year-old girl was forced to shower in front of one of the terrorists. She was only 16. She had never shown her body to anyone, and a Hamas terrorist just stood there, looked at her, and smiled.”
The testimony also drew attention to Israel’s broader commitment to human rights and the rule of law. Justice Ministry Director-General Itamar Donenfeld, who led the Israeli delegation, stressed before the committee that Israel is fully committed to the Convention Against Torture and called on its members to adhere to the facts and prevent the spread of antisemitic propaganda.
“The testimonies we heard today are not just personal stories,” he said. “They are a moral and legal indictment of the world’s silence. Israel’s commitment to the principles of the convention cannot be one-sided. The international community’s silence in the face of torture, abductions, and abuse undermines the very spirit of the convention. It must serve as a moral compass compelling action.”
Their accounts make clear the barbarity of Hamas, and reinforce the determination to ensure the organization can no longer terrorize civilians or threaten Israel.
Do You Love Israel? Make a Donation - Show Your Support!
Donate to vital charities that help protect Israeli citizens and inspire millions around the world to support Israel too!
Now more than ever, Israel needs your help to fight and win the war -- including on the battlefield of public opinion.
Antisemitism, anti-Israel bias and boycotts are out of control. Israel's enemies are inciting terror and violence against innocent Israelis and Jews around the world. Help us fight back!
