Sign of life: 2 Israeli hostages shown alive in latest Hamas propaganda video

After releasing a video clip showing Israeli hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin on Wednesday, the Hamas terrorist organization released another video showing the hostages Keith Siegel and Omri Miran on Saturday evening.

Similar to previous hostage videos, Siegel and Miran are seen reading pre-scripted statements addressing the Israeli government and their families.

Following the example of the Goldberg-Polin family, the families of Siegel and Miran explicitly allowed Israeli media to show the videos and report on the statements made, contrary to similar previous videos that were not shown on Israeli networks.

Representatives of the Israeli government and Israel Defense Forces have repeatedly stressed that Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) use video clips of hostages as a means of psychological warfare. According to Israeli officials, the videos are intended to cause anguish for the hostages’ families and increase pressure on the Israeli government by causing internal division. In this case, it is believed that Hamas is hoping to prevent military offensives, for example, the incursion into Rafah, which is thought to be imminent.

Keith Siegel (64) is an occupational therapist and was kidnapped together with his wife Aviva Adrian Siegel from their home in Kfar Azza on Oct. 7. Aviva was later released in the first hostage deal between Israel and Hamas.

In the video, Siegel expresses his wish to be released before Passover, indicating that the footage was captured not long ago. He also talked about his fear amid the fighting and appealed to the government to reach a negotiated deal with Hamas.

Omri Miran (46) was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists from Nahal Oz. In his statement, he mentions being held in captivity for 202 days, further indicating that the footage was captured recently and that he and Siegel are still alive.

He also called for the government to reach a deal, adding that the demonstrations in Israel should continue until then.

“This is the first sign of life from him, I am moved to tears,” his father Dani Miran told Channel 12 news.

“I saw what I expected: He had a beard, and he must not have brushed his teeth since that Holocaust there. It’s a big pain. Physically he looks great, I just hope that mentally he is still in good condition.”

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said on Saturday that “the sign of life from Kit Segal and Amri Miren are the clearest proof that the Israeli government should do everything to approve a deal to return all the abducted before Independence Day, the living to be rehabilitated, and the murdered to be buried with dignity."

“This is the time for the government and its leader to prove in action their commitment to the citizens of the country who expect the return of the hostages – the government of Israel must not miss the existing opportunity and bring everyone home!”