The families of hostages freed from Gaza over the weekend, the latest release in the ceasefire deal, described difficult conditions — including rarely seeing the sun — during their captivity.
The family of Yarden Bibas, a hostage who was released from captivity Saturday, said he was held in difficult conditions and subject to "ongoing psychological torture," his sister said Monday from a Tel Aviv hospital where he is recovering.
Bibas, who was taken hostage with his wife, Shiri, and sons Ariel and Kfir, has lost significant weight and muscle mass because of the conditions, including rarely seeing the sun, Ofri Bibas-Levy said.
At 9 months, Kfir was the youngest of about 30 children taken hostage. Ariel was 4.
"Since he was released, he has asked just one question: Where are Shiri and the children?" said Dana Silberman-Sitton, Shiri Bibas' sister.
Bibas-Levy also pleaded for Israel and the U.S. to continue negotiations for the second stage of the ceasefire.
The six-week first phase called for the exchange of 33 hostages taken by Iranian-backed Hamas following its terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023, and nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, as well as the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza and an increase in humanitarian aid to the war-torn territory.
Israel and Hamas are beginning to negotiate a second phase of the ceasefire, which will call for releasing the remaining hostages and extending the truce indefinitely. The conflict could resume in early March if an agreement is not reached.
American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel, 65, who was released from captivity Saturday, spent long periods of time alone, rarely saw sunlight and was given very little food, causing him to lose a drastic amount of weight, his daughter said Monday night from the Tel Aviv hospital where her father is recuperating.
Shir Siegel added that her father insisted Monday on knowing what happened to Kibbutz Kfar Aza during Hamas' terrorist attack.
"We had to go over a cruel and long list of 64 people, dear to us and loved, and he could not understand that so many of his friends were murdered," Shir Siegel said.
Aviva Siegel, Keith Siegel's wife, who was also kidnapped but released during a weeklong ceasefire in November 2023, thanked President Donald Trump for help negotiating the ceasefire and pleaded with him to ensure the next stage of the ceasefire will take place.
"The hardest part is ahead of us, and I trust you to see this deal through, because it’s the road to healing for all of us," she said, in a message to the Israeli and American governments.
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