Former Israeli captive Keith Siegel, who was recently released after 15 months in Gaza, says Palestinian resistance fighters made sure to meet all his needs in captivity.
The US-Israeli dual national was among three captives released on Saturday. Before his release, Siegel recorded a farewell video message to “thank Al-Qassam for everything,” saying, “You were good with us for the past 15 months."
Hamas military arm Al-Qassam Brigades released the video on Sunday.
“The fighters guarding me during this period made sure to meet all my needs, including food, drink, medicine, vitamins, eye treatment, blood pressure monitor, and other needs.”
Siegel said the resistance fighters “made sure to bring food that was suitable for my health condition, vegetarian food, without oil.”
“The guards treated me well,” he said.
The released captive also criticized Tel Aviv for not doing “what was required to reach a deal to return the prisoners and end the war, which led to many victims and additional damage to both parties.”
Gadi Moses, 80, the oldest captive and the first man who was released as part of the ceasefire deal with Hamas, also told his family that he was "treated with respect," in Gaza.
Moses was released after 482 days in Gaza captivity on Thursday.
According to details Moses shared with his family, his son said in a written message that this father “lived in the same conditions as his captors & ate what they ate together.”
“He lived in the same conditions as his captors & ate what they ate together. They provided him with books about the environment & Islam & reading glasses.”
Israel's bombardment was "very scary for him," he said.
Hamas said in a previous statement that the Israeli military “deliberately and repeatedly” targeted locations where Israeli captives were held.
It said the regime was “seeking to get rid of their captives in Gaza by all means."
Another freed Israeli captive said after she was released by Hamas in late November the resistance fighters protected her during the Israeli bombardment of Gaza.
Chen Goldstein-Almog and three of her children were taken captive during Hamas Operation al-Aqsa Storm on October 2023.
Chen recounted that the captives were staying somewhere behind a supermarket when Israeli airstrikes hit nearby.
"Our guards, our captors ... were on top of us, protecting us with their bodies from the strikes.”
The Israeli woman recalled asking her captors if they were going to kill them, "and they would tell us: We will die before you."