First Lady Melania Trump welcomed former hostages Aviva and Keith Siegel to the White House on Wednesday.
Aviva Siegel was held hostage for 51 days after being captured by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Her husband, Keith Siegel, was held for 434 days.
Notably, Trump released her biographical documentary titled Melania last week, in which Aviva features. She stressed the visit with the Siegels was not a promotion for the film.
"This is not a promotion. We are here celebrating the release of the hostages, Aviva and Keith. They were in Washington, DC, and they called me. They said they would like to come over to thank me and to give hugs. And that's why we are here. This has nothing to do with promotion," she said.
Melania said she met Aviva in New York in January 2025, shortly after her release from captivity. The meeting, which the White House described as emotional, was filmed for the movie.
Aviva presented Melania with two of Keith’s books, which she later shared with her husband, US President Donald Trump. Melania acknowledged the efforts to secure the hostages’ freedom and noted that all hostages are now home with their families.
Keith Siegel thanked Melania and President Trump for their support during his and Aviva’s captivity. He said the mobilization for their release was extraordinary, and added that it demonstrated the importance of holding on to hope.
Since his release, the Siegels have been working with Israeli humanitarian aid organizations.
Kieth Siegel: 'Giving back is a crucial part of my recovery'
"Now that I have regained my freedom, and I celebrated one year of freedom being released from captivity this Sunday, I have committed myself to partnering with Israel and Israeli humanitarian aid organizations to help restore hope for others. Giving back is a crucial part of my recovery and rehabilitation process," he explained.
Aviva Siegel said she waited for all hostages to return before expressing her thanks to Melania Trump. She described the First Lady’s support as an important source of hope during her captivity.
Aviva also said she is writing a book for her grandchildren about her experiences, which she described as “very hard stories to hear.”