2 weeks ago
The pursuing is simply a transcript of an question and reply pinch Hanna Siegel, whose uncle Keith Siegel is being held hostage by Hamas, that aired connected April 28, 2024.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We are joined now by Hanna Siegel, whose uncle, Keith Siegel, is 1 of those American hostages. Good greeting to you, Hanna.
HANNA SIEGEL: Good morning, Margaret. Thank you for having me.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Thank you for speaking to us. I cognize that nan Biden management has reached retired to you and your family. The FBI is analyzing that video released yesterday. What stood retired to you? I deliberation this is nan first impervious of life truthful far?
HANNA SIEGEL: We- we've ever believed that he's alive, we person to judge that he's alive. And his wife, my aunt, Aviva Siegel, who was held for 52 days, released successful nan woody that took spot successful November, she was pinch him. And truthful we knew erstwhile she came out, she told america that he was alive. But this is nan first clip that we're seeing him, that we're proceeding him. It's- it's surreal.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And you person 205 there. That's nan number of days he has been held. In nan video, your uncle, nether duress, mentions nan protests that person been taking spot successful Israel, pressuring nan authorities for a deal. Do you deliberation that a woody tin beryllium reached astatine this point, and is it up to nan United States to adjacent it?
HANNA SIEGEL: I do deliberation a woody tin beryllium reached. I mean, we- we cognize that. A woody was reached successful November. Dozens of women and children were released, including my aunt, Aviva Siegel. So we cognize that it's possible. And I do deliberation that's really important to remember. The United States plays a captious role. It played a captious domiciled successful November. I think, you know, ultimately, this is simply a speech betwixt Hamas and Prime Minister Netanyahu successful Israel. And 1 of nan things that really worries my family, and worries me, is that it's arguably not successful Prime Minister Netanyahu's governmental liking to adjacent a deal. And, you know, for us, this is nan moment. These videos- arsenic you know, location was a video released a mates of days agone of different American hostage, Hersh Goldberg-Polin. I do deliberation that these 2 videos are a awesome from Hamas that they are fresh to make a woody and a reminder that location are American citizens being held, including- including Keith.
MARGARET BRENNAN: There are 133 hostages that we cognize of, 5 of them Americans. Why do you judge it is not successful Prime Minister Netanyahu's liking to trim a woody to bring them home?
HANNA SIEGEL: I think, you know, location is simply a batch swirling successful nan governmental scenery successful Israel. And I'm not present to talk astir that. But location person been negotiations going connected for months now. We're astatine 205 days. There person been deals connected nan table. And they've proven elusive. And I interest that that is because of Prime Minister Netanyahu. So I deliberation that now is nan moment. I think- I person religion that we tin do a woody now. But I besides deliberation that if that isn't possible, past nan Biden management should deliberation astir what they tin do straight to bring our American citizens home.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Secretary of State Antony Blinken is flying to nan region now and is going to talk astir a ceasefire and a hostage deal. Do you cognize if nan Biden management is considering making a woody to bring nan Americans location without nan Israeli government's support aliases domiciled here?
HANNA SIEGEL: I don't know.
MARGARET BRENNAN: But you want them to look astatine that option?
HANNA SIEGEL: What I cognize is that nan Biden management has shown unwavering and relentless committedness to my family and nan families of each of nan hostages. And I cognize that it is their privilege to bring each hostages, including nan Americans, home. And truthful I cognize that they are doing perfectly everything that they can. Keith successful this video, I mean, he starts nan video by saying really overmuch he loves us. He loves our family. And he's evidently nether duress. He's gaunt. He looks weak. But that's real. I cognize that he misses his family. He talks about, you know, I deliberation nan hardest portion of nan video is he breaks down talking astir being unsocial connected Passover. Those of america Siegels successful America sewage together for Passover and those successful Israel sewage together for Passover. And we had- we had this small image of Keith astatine nan table, but he's not home. And truthful I person specified faith, and I person felt nan committedness from nan Biden administration, to get him back.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Keith's girl sent a recorded connection to protesters who were successful nan streets successful Israel past nighttime and she said, "I request nan country's leaders watch nan video and spot their begetter crying for help." Hamas released this arsenic propaganda. Why do you deliberation watching that video is important? What- what do you deliberation is not understood by nan government?
HANNA SIEGEL: First of all, my cousins, Keith's kids and his wife, of people a hostage subsister herself, are incredibly brave and they person spent each azygous time going to anybody who will perceive astir nan world and telling them, reminding them, that location are people's lives astatine stake. I deliberation there's truthful overmuch swirling successful nan governmental realm that it's easy to hide that these are quality beings. Keith is simply a grandfather. He's a husband, he's a brother. He's an uncle. We're a very, very adjacent family. And that's what we're feeling, much than immoderate of nan governmental considerations, much than reasoning astir nan time aft and what happens. Those are really, really important questions. But I deliberation this video is simply a reminder that these are quality beings and they request to travel home.
MARGARET BRENNAN: The U.S. says Hamas is opinionated successful nan measurement of a deal. Are you concerned that if an penetration of confederate Gaza, of Rafah, happens, that your uncle will beryllium astatine consequence of death?
HANNA SIEGEL: Very concerned. I mean he- he talks successful nan video astir bomb- proceeding bombs each astir him. And truthful we interest astir nan truth that he's being held underground by a violent group, of course. We interest astir nan truth that he's starving. When Aviva came out, she talked to america astir really they were opening to starve. And I can't ideate that that hasn't gotten truthful overmuch worse. You tin spot it connected his face. And we besides interest astir nan bombs going disconnected astir him.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Of course. Of course. Hanna, convey you for reminding america astir nan humanity here. And we wish you luck.
HANNA SIEGEL: Thank you truthful overmuch for having me.
