Freed Hostage Keith Siegel Backs Trump Peace Deal, Says Hamas ‘Must Be Stripped’ of Power
Former American hostage Keith Siegel issued a stark warning Sunday from Central Park, calling for Hamas to be completely stripped of its weapons and political power — echoing the Trump administration’s firm demand that the terror group disarm or face annihilation.
Siegel, a 66-year-old dual Israeli-American citizen who spent 484 days in Hamas captivity, spoke during the latest weekly rally in New York City demanding a cease-fire and hostage release. With tears in his eyes and resolve in his voice, Siegel made it clear: peace is impossible as long as Hamas remains in control of Gaza.
“This fanatic terror organization must be stripped,” he told reporters after addressing the crowd. “They cannot pose a threat to anybody in the future.”
The rally came as Israel and Hamas prepare to begin a fresh round of indirect negotiations — this time under the pressure of President Donald Trump’s proposed 20-point peace deal. The deal calls for a phased hostage release, a military stand-down, and a post-conflict governing structure in Gaza free of terrorist influence.
Siegel said he believes the Trump plan offers the best chance to bring home the 48 remaining hostages, both alive and deceased. “We could lose them at any minute,” he warned. “From my experience, I know what they’re going through — the abuse, the isolation, the darkness. I saw women beaten and tortured. It’s inhumane.”
Siegel was freed in February during a short-lived cease-fire that the Trump administration helped broker, and he credits the president for his life. Now, he’s praying Trump’s pressure campaign on both sides will finish the job. “I want to see my friends again. I want them to come home. I want to rebuild what was destroyed,” he said.
Speaking on CBS’s Face the Nation, Secretary of State Marco Rubio reinforced Trump’s stance, saying Hamas must be fully demobilized or face “complete obliteration.” Rubio emphasized that eliminating the threat of a future October 7-style massacre is non-negotiable. “You can never have another October 7. That’s the bottom line,” he said.
While Hamas has reportedly agreed to many parts of the Trump plan, the group still refuses to disarm or relinquish power to an international governing body. Instead, they are demanding recognition of a Palestinian state — a demand absent from Trump’s framework and repeatedly rejected by Israel.
Nadav Rudaeff, whose father Lior was killed while defending his kibbutz during the 2023 Hamas invasion, also spoke at the rally. Still grieving nearly two years later, Nadav said the violence his family witnessed was “the worst evilness I’ve ever experienced.”
He wants the hostages freed — and the war to end — but remains cautious. “We’ve been disappointed too many times,” he said. “I’m trying to stay hopeful, but I can’t afford to get my heart broken again.”
Maryam Kashaniam, an Upper East Side resident wearing a “Free Our Hostages” cap, said she’s thankful for what Trump has already done. “I’m grateful to President Trump for the people he brought home in January and February,” she said. “And I’m hopeful he’ll bring the rest back — and that we’ll finally see peace.”
As the war nears its two-year mark on Tuesday, the pressure is mounting on Hamas to comply. The Trump administration, backed by a global coalition, has made it clear: accept the deal or face the consequences. For hostages like Siegel and families like the Rudaeffs, the clock is ticking — and the cost of failure is far too high.