Keith Siegel, who was held hostage by Hamas, shared new insights about his time in captivity during an interview on Thursday with Channel 12. He revealed that the terrorists tried to convince him and Matan Angrest, the soldier he was held with, to embrace Islam.
“There were attempts to convert us. According to them, whoever isn’t a Muslim goes to hell and only Muslims go to heaven. Matan spoke a lot about the longing and how he wants to be with his family more when he returns from captivity and less on the PlayStation,” Siegel recalled.
He continued, explaining that the terrorists sought information from Matan regarding his military duties. “I think they tried to get information out of Matan about his job. Matan felt threatened in this situation where they’re interrogating him, and he did everything not to reveal classified information. He told me about very difficult things he went through. I saw violence against Matan, physical and verbal violence.”
Siegel described the harsh conditions they endured, saying the hunger they experienced was very real and not just an expression. “Matan and I really starved. It’s not just some figure of speech. There were times that we really felt, both physically and mentally, that there’s a chance that we won’t get out of there alive at all, because of the different threats that there were – one was the lack of food and the daily starvation for a long time. It caused dizziness, lightheadedness, and weakness, and I’m sure he’s experiencing that until now,” he concluded.
Matan’s mother, Anat Angrest, spoke with Arutz Sheva-Israel National News last week following her appearance at a session of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
“I came especially to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee to speak about the abducted soldiers who were neglected in all the deals up until now,” Angrest states. “We are not ready to sit quietly. Even though they told us not to publicize the soldier issue, we are now putting the soldiers up front.”
She emphasized that her advocacy isn’t just for her own son. “You send soldiers to battle, they need to know that if G-d forbid they’ll be abducted or they’ll be in Matan’s position, the State of Israel would take care of them and won’t leave them behind.”
Anat addressed the decision to release videos showing Matan’s kidnapping and his time in captivity. “It’s part of the process we went through. We understood that if we continued sitting in silence, it would be easy for the State of Israel to leave our sons behind. For this silence, my Matan is paying a much higher price. It’s against our character and our behavior, but they don’t leave us any other choice.”
She spoke about the agony and powerlessness the families have been living with due to the prolonged uncertainty. “The fact is that Matan is still there, injured. I received an indication that the State of Israel is committed to him – yes, I see a commitment to soldiers with foreign citizenship, but the Israeli government did not include soldiers in any deal.”
Angrest described the moment she saw the disturbing video showing her son. “I tried not to be exposed to the difficult documentation; there’s more, but I tried to protect myself. As much as I try to remain hopeful that Matan survived and is coming home soon, it brings me back to thinking about how he was abducted and what he’s going through there.”
She also mentioned a conversation she had with IDF female observers who were also taken captive and encountered Matan. “The observers had a few run-ins with Matan there. They know exactly what he’s going through.”
Anat expressed disappointment with the Israeli leadership, particularly the Prime Minister. “During the meeting with Netanyahu, I got the feeling that he is not aware of Matan’s condition. I left so frustrated. I said that I left with a feeling that there is a lack of commitment to Matan.”
She believes that a deal to secure the hostages could have already been made. “I am almost sure that there’s a deal on the table, and the Prime Minister, for one reason or another, is not taking it. We know that for a year and a half already, there could have been deals to bring them all back, but they aren’t happening because the Prime Minister was not prepared to announce the end of the war. When there is a deal, I will not let it exclude soldiers and the deceased.”
When asked whether she supports a hostage deal even if it ends the war, she didn’t hesitate. “Ending the war is not a price, it’s an achievement. Returning the hostages is the immediate goal, its life and death. That’s what needs to be done, and that’s what needed to happen a long time ago.”
Looking ahead to the scheduled meeting between Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump, she expressed a cautious sense of anticipation. “The US understands that this needs to end.”
She also spoke of the emotional toll the holiday season has taken. “We aren’t going into any holiday – there’s no such word ‘celebration’ for us. We will be at Hostages Square with other supportive citizens who are also unable to celebrate a holiday.”

{Matzav.com Israel}