Released Israeli hostage Keith Siegel: I pray for peace

I pray for peace. Nick Beake speaks to released Israeli hostage
Keith Siegel about his experience of captivity in Gaza, of the
suffering he says he witnessed at the hands of Hamas and the
moment he was released. Mr. Siegel, an American-Israeli, was
captured by Hamas fighters in the October 2023 attack that marked
the start of the conflict in Gaza. He was one of 251 hostages
taken that day, in an assault that killed around 1,200 other
people who were mainly civilians. Mr Siegel was released in
February after nearly 500 days. His mother passed away while he
was still in captivity. You’re going to hear his accounts about
his time as a hostage. Some listeners may find his descriptions
disturbing. He talks about desperate living conditions in Gaza,
as well as extreme levels of violence to which he says he and
other hostages were subjected. Hamas has said it doesn't abuse
anyone in captivity. Mr. Siegel is calling for all 50 remaining
hostages to be freed - up to 20 of them are still believed to be
alive. Talks on a ceasefire proposal that would include a hostage
release deal are ongoing between Israel and Hamas. The Israeli
military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to Hamas's 7
October 2023 attacks. More than 57,000 people have been killed in
Gaza since then, according to the territory's Hamas-run health
ministry. The Interview brings you conversations with people
shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews
from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays
and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as
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your podcasts. Presenter: Nick Beake Producers: Ben Cooper, Kyla
Herrmannsen, Katie Law and Lucy Sheppard Editor: Nick Holland Get
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(Image: Keith Siegel. Credit: Jack Guez/Getty)