Keith Siegel, Released After 484 Days, Faces a Changed World \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ After 484 days in captivity, Keith Siegel and other freed Gaza hostages are struggling to process the loss of loved ones, their shattered communities, and world events they missed. Some learned their families were killed, while others face uncertainty about missing relatives. With limited exposure to media during captivity, many are desperate for answers, yet families must carefully balance sharing painful truths without deepening their trauma.
Freed Gaza Hostages Struggle to Rebuild Lives: Quick Looks
- Keith Siegel Seeks Answers After 484 Days in Captivity – The American-Israeli hostage returned home with urgent questions about his family and community, including who survived Hamas’ October 7 attack.
- Some Hostages Learn Their Families Were Killed – Eli Sharabi, 52, and Or Levy, 34, believed they were returning home to loved ones, only to learn their families were killed during the attack.
- Uncertainty Still Haunts Some Survivors – Yarden Bibas was given conflicting information about the fate of his wife and two sons, who remain missing in Gaza.
- Adjusting to a World That Has Changed – Many freed hostages are shocked to learn of world events they missed, including Trump’s return to the White House and direct clashes between Israel and Iran.
- Carefully Unraveling the Truth – Families are cautiously revealing information to avoid overwhelming their loved ones, with experts warning against retraumatization.
- A Symbol of the Hostage Crisis – Siegel’s image was used in protests and awareness campaigns, and Israelis even shared videos making his favorite pancakes in support.
- Why Did It Take So Long? – Siegel was stunned to learn world leaders knew about his captivity, asking his family, “If they knew, how could I have been there for so long?”
- The Long Road to Recovery – Freed hostages must now navigate grief, trauma, and rebuilding their lives, as Israel continues efforts to bring home those still held in Gaza.
Deep Look
After spending 484 days in captivity, Keith Siegel and other freed Israeli hostages are struggling to reconnect with their families and communities, only to be met with heartbreaking news. For Siegel, one of the first questions upon his return was whether his 97-year-old mother, Gladys, was still alive. When his wife’s eyes welled up with tears, he immediately knew the answer.
For others, the reality was even more devastating—some returned home expecting to reunite with family members, only to find out they had been killed during Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack that launched the war in Gaza.
The Painful Process of Catching Up on Life
Siegel, a dual American-Israeli citizen, had minimal access to news or information while being held hostage. He only learned months after his capture that his son had survived the attack. He had heard faint reports that his family was advocating for his release, but beyond that, he was completely cut off from the outside world.
“He really wanted to know everything as soon as possible, just to put all the question marks away,” said his daughter, Elan Siegel.
Like Siegel, many freed hostages are now overwhelmed by the flood of shocking and tragic information. Families are struggling to decide how much to tell them, knowing that too much too soon could deepen their trauma.
Einat Yehene, head of rehabilitation at the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, emphasized the need for a careful and gradual approach.
“The information is definitely traumatic, so you have to really be sensitive, careful, and monitor the pace in which you expose them to it.”
Freed, Only to Face an Even More Shocking Reality
For some hostages, the most painful moment of their captivity wasn’t in Gaza—but after their release, when they learned their entire families were gone.
Eli Sharabi, 52, was forced to appear in a staged Hamas video before his release, where he spoke about reuniting with his wife and two daughters. But once back in Israel, he learned the unimaginable truth—his wife and both children had been killed on October 7.
“Beyond the emotional burden and difficult experiences he faced in captivity, he had to bear this horrible loss on the first day that he left from there,” his brother, Sharon Sharabi, told Israeli Army Radio.
For Or Levy, 34, the heartbreak was similar. During his 491 days in captivity, he held onto hope that he would soon reunite with his wife, Einav. Instead, he learned she was killed in the initial Hamas attack.
Levy was at least reunited with his young son, who had grown significantly while his father was gone. But even that moment was bittersweet. The toddler, now potty-trained, looked up at him and said:
“It took you a long time to come back.”
Uncertainty Lingers for Some Families
For others, the waiting is not over. Yarden Bibas, who was freed earlier this month, was told conflicting information by his Hamas captors—one moment they said his wife and children were dead, and the next they claimed they had been spotted in Tel Aviv.
The reality remains unclear. His wife, Shiri, and their two young sons, Ariel and Kfir, are still unaccounted for. The Israeli government has expressed “serious concern” for their lives, but no definitive news has been given.
Catching Up on a Changed World
Beyond their personal losses, many freed hostages are now being confronted with over a year of world events they had no access to in captivity. Some of the shocking revelations include:
- Donald Trump is back in the White House.
- Israel and Iran exchanged direct attacks for the first time.
- Hassan Nasrallah, the longtime leader of Hezbollah, was killed.
For Siegel, the revelations were overwhelming. His family has been carefully filtering information, choosing to only answer questions he specifically asks.
“You answer only what he asks and not more than that,” said his daughter, Elan.
But the questions keep coming.
“We asked him if he’s sure that he’s ready. And he said ‘yes,’ that he just wants to know. So I read him the list of 64 people who were killed,” Elan recalled.
His response? Muted.
“It’s almost like he forgot how to feel,” she said.
Siegel’s Journey from Captivity to Recognition
While Siegel was hidden away in Gaza, his face became a symbol across Israel. His photo appeared on banners, at protests, and on social media campaigns advocating for the hostages.
Ahead of his release, Israelis even posted videos of themselves making his favorite pancake recipe, a small gesture of solidarity and hope.
His wife, Aviva, who was freed weeks after being kidnapped, had been fighting for his release every day. She compiled a book filled with letters from prominent figures—including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former U.S. President Joe Biden—showing how high-level leaders were involved in advocating for his return.
But Siegel was stunned to learn how many world leaders had known about him.
“If they knew, how can it be that I was there for so long?” he asked.
The Long Road Ahead
Now, Siegel and the other freed hostages must face a new and painful reality—one where their captivity may be over, but the emotional and psychological scars remain.
Their families continue to navigate how to help them adjust, knowing that each revelation is another wave of grief.
Despite the trauma, Siegel and others are slowly piecing their lives back together, determined to reclaim their sense of home, identity, and community—even in a world that has changed so much in their absence.
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