Visiting Auschwitz, ex-hostage Keith Siegel reflects on ‘collective fate’ of captives and their families

Released hostage Keith Siegel walks into Birkenau, ahead of this afternoon’s March of the Living ceremony, and says he feels very grateful to be given the opportunity to join the event with other hostages’ family members, released hostages and bereaved families.

“It creates a bond even before you meet people more in depth, because of the experience we experienced, all of us, on October 7 and before October 7, it’s something that gives me a feeling of collective fate,” says Siegel.

Two of the remaining 59 hostages in Gaza are Gali and Ziv Berman, who grew up in Kibbutz Kfar Aza, where Siegel, a dual American-Israeli citizen, has lived for decades.

“The kibbutz was much larger on October 7 than when we came in 1983,” he says. “Very often we’d see each other in the dining room before the kibbutz grew and was privatized. Meals were a daily social event, everybody knew everybody. So I know Gali and Zivi, his brothers and his parents. Today we’re at day 566 that the hostages have been in captivity.”

While in captivity, Siegel spent time with hostage Matan Angrest, who he last saw on February 20, 2024.

“That’s a long time,” he reflects.

He also spent time with hostage Omri Miran and another hostage, each separately, both known to be alive.

“I need to do anything I can to bring them home, to participate in the effort to bring the hostages home, to bring about the agreement, the deal that brought me home, me and 33 hostages, released in the last deal,” says Siegel.

Siegel and one of his three daughters, Ilan, walk along the train tracks of Birkenau, for the final ceremony of the March of the Living.