Families of hostages plead for release at US Capitol press conference

Bipartisan press conference calls for swift hostage release amid emotional family pleas.

By HANNAH SARISOHN DECEMBER 18, 2024 19:45 Updated: DECEMBER 18, 2024 19:52

Aviva Siegel speaks at a press conference Wednesday, December 18, 2024. (photo credit: screenshot)

Released hostage Aviva Siegel, whose husband Keith Siegel remains in captivity, and Yarden Gonen, sister of hostage Romi Gonen, pleaded for the release of their loved ones in front of the US Capitol on Wednesday morning during a press conference convened by the US House Bipartisan Women's Caucus. 

Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL) initiated the press conference along with Reps. Emilia Sykes (D-OH), Monica De La Cruz (R-TX), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) and Kathy E. Manning (D-NC)

Time is of the essence, Cammack said, addressing Hamas at the beginning the press conference. 

"President-elect Donald Trump has given you until January 20 to release all hostages. If you do not, and these are his words, 'all hell is going to break loose,'" she said. "Now, I know President-elect Donald Trump, and he does not make idle threats. So I would suggest that you take that very seriously. Release the hostages."

De La Cruz, another Trump ally, said when the former president is for something, he stands by what he says. 

Responsibility for Israel

"I thank him for his commitment to Israel and the hostages," she said. 

De La Cruz said the Congress will stand with Israel "demanding the immediate release of these innocent hostages" and will put this front and center and continue to push for their release by january 20.

She also spoke of the importance of the Abraham Accords. 

"These Accords are a reminder that we have a responsibility, and that responsibility is that we continue to stand for Israel through diplomacy and cooperation," she said. 

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Wasserman-Shultz said she's proud of how President Biden and Vice President Harris "stood by Israel's side."

"The policies of the Biden administration have made sure that the Middle East of today is certainly not the kind of triangle of evil that it was 439 days ago," she said. "And I am certainly hopeful that President-elect Trump will continue this mission, but that the hostages come home as soon as possible."

There's always a reason for hope, Wasserman Shultz said, and there's new optimism that an agreement could finally come close to arriving with backing from the US, Israel, and Arab partners. 

"This agreement would see a phased ceasefire in the return of hostages, including Americans like Keith and Israelis like Romi and others," she said. "I fervently hope that the conditions are finally in place to see this through."

Keeping the hope

Gonen said Romi was supposed to be returned during the first hostage deal last November, but that "we're dealing with monsters."

"We don't know anything until they're home. We will fight like they're not, and we will do anything for all the hostages, all the 100, and we have to seize this opportunity so we won't miss it," Gonen said. "We missed too many opportunities, and a lot of the hostages were murdered and killed during that time. We cannot allow that to happen."

Siegel said she's "keeping her hope" that Keith, Romi, and all the other hostages will come home. 

"We won't even think about anything less than that because they all have to come home," she said. "I just want to remind everybody that the hostages are underneath the ground trying to keep themselves alive. We're just waiting for them, and I can't even imagine all the mothers hugging their daughters and me hugging my Keith when he comes home. It will be the happiest day in our lives, and we can't wait."