Survivors who were once held by Hamas, along with the relatives of those still being held in Gaza, testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday. They pleaded with U.S. lawmakers to take decisive and immediate steps to free the remaining 59 hostages still in captivity.
The powerful session took place in Washington, D.C., and was led by Sens. Dave McCormick, a Republican from Pennsylvania, and Jacky Rosen, a Democrat from Nevada. Several other senators, including Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), and Tim Kaine (D-Va.), also took part in the hearing, which featured heart-wrenching testimony from those directly affected.
“I am absolutely committed to doing everything possible to bring your families home,” McCormick said. “I am inspired by your courage.”
Among those who spoke were Keith and Aviva Siegel, along with Iair Horn—all of whom had previously been freed in a hostage exchange. They were joined by Ilay David, whose brother Evyatar is still held in Gaza; Liran Berman, whose twin brothers Gali and Ziv remain in captivity; and Orna and Ronen Neutra, who lost their son Omer in the Hamas-led attack on October 7 and whose body was taken into Gaza.
Keith Siegel stressed the need for America to stay involved in securing a release agreement. “I’m sharing my story because the world needs to understand what we as hostages went through — and what Gali, Ziv and all the remaining hostages in Gaza are enduring right now,” Siegel said. “I urge President Trump to continue his approach: apply pressure, restart negotiations, and secure a deal—before it’s too late.”
Aviva Siegel gave a chilling description of the fear she felt during her time in captivity. “I was afraid to look at Keith — I was terrified I’d see him dead,” she said. “The world cannot allow this to happen to anyone, ever again.”
Horn, who was also freed but whose brother Eitan is still being held by Hamas, spoke about the emotional toll of separation. “I cannot be truly free while Eitan is still being held in hell,” he said. “As long as he’s in captivity, my heart is not complete. I am here today because of President Trump. I ask you, Mr. President, to keep pushing forward — and to make the release of Eitan and all the other hostages a top priority.”
Berman emphasized the national importance of bringing every hostage home. “Only when the last hostage comes back to Israel will we be able to heal as a nation,” he said. “They are not just hostages — they are human beings who have a future.”
David described the horror of seeing his brother Evyatar in a video Hamas had released. “We saw the despair and pain in Evyatar’s and Guy’s eyes,” he said. “We are on a mission to save their lives and those of all the remaining hostages. This is not about politics — it’s about saving lives.”
With Pesach drawing near, David added a note of hope. “We believe that together, we can help bring them home.”
The Neutras made a passionate appeal not only for the release of the living but also for the return of those who have been killed. “Time is running out to return the deceased, as well,” they said in a joint statement. “The longer this drags on, the harder it will be to locate and recover their remains, denying families such as ours closure and dignity — and the deceased, an honorable final resting place.”
Their son Omer, they noted, “was a symbol of the devastation caused by the events of October 7th — a symbol for all the hostages. Unfortunately, we will not be able to hug our son, but Omer deserves a proper burial.”
The families pledged to continue their campaign to garner international support for the release of their loved ones, stressing that the situation is becoming more urgent with each passing day.

{Matzav.com}