lived at Kibbutz Kfar Aza,# not far from the Gaza Strip.

During the October 7 Hamas attacks, they were# both taken hostage.

On November 26, after## 51 days in Gaza, Aviva, a 62-year-old Israeli# kindergarten teacher who was born in South Africa,## was released.

But her husband, Keith, who is an# American and Israeli, is still being held hostage.

In her first interview, Aviva Siegel tells# the "NewsHour" about surviving October 7,## her time in captivity and what she wants# to happen next.

We spoke earlier today,## and I began by asking her about# the day of the Hamas attack.

AVIVA SIEGEL, Released Israeli Hostage:# Well, the first alarm came at 6:35,## and we ran into our shelter.

And we# closed the door.

We closed the window.

And then there was explosions all over and# alarms all over.

We started hearing gunshotting,## and we understood that something's# happening.

And somebody wrote in## the group of the kibbutz that there# are Hamas in Israel on the kibbutz.

So I was very, very scared.

But Keith said:# "Don't worry.

We locked.

We don't need to worry."

And they just opened the door,## just opened the door, and all ca AMNA NAWAZ: Aviva, in the moment that that# door opens, what goes through your mind?

AVIVA SIEGEL: I was hysterical.

And the beginnin my body.

And then I was out of my body walking# with them and doing what they told me to do.## They asked where the keys of Keith's car was,# and we took them to the car, and off we went.

AMNA NAWAZ: They drove you and your husband in## your own car to Gaza?

Do you# know where you w AVIVA SIEGEL: Keith wanted to run away.

And I# told Keith: "Don't run away, because they're## going to shoot us," because they did shoot# us before we -- before we And they pushed Keith and they broke two# of his ribs.

And it was terrible at the## beginning.

He could hardly move and he# could hardly sit.

He could hardly eat.## And I was very worried about him.

And# when they shot us, they shot his hand.

AMNA NAWAZ: Were you kept in that same# place during your entire time in captivity?

AVIVA SIEGEL: Keith and I were moved# for 13 times.

We were up ground,## down ground.

We were down ground, and we could not# breathe.

And we were sure that we're go And for the 51 days that I was# there, there wasn't a minute that## I thought that I will ever come back# alive.

We were scared all the time.

AMNA NAWAZ: You said you were moved 13# times over your 51 days in captivity,## buildings aboveground and# underground.

Tell me about## underground.

We have heard a lot about# these Hamas tunnels.

Wha AVIVA SIEGEL: We had to climb down and go down,# and go down lots and lots of stairs until we got## there.

And we could feel there was no oxygen.# So they left us there just like in a very,## very small place, with a toilet with no# water, with hardly no food, no water.

And because there wasn't oxygen for them# to breathe there, they just left us there.

AMNA NAWAZ: Aviva, tell me about# how you were treated by the men## holding you hostage.

Did you witness# any violence while you were there?

AVIVA SIEGEL: Lots of violence.# We could not understand why they## were behaving like they behaved to us.

Everything we were told to do, we# did.

And they just t us.

They were five minutes like, sort# of, like people.

And then, two hours,## they were like very mean and horrible to us# and shouting at us and told us to keep quiet.

They, like, let us lie down for 15 hours, and not# even move and not even talk.

Most of the time,## we couldn't even talk.

We had to whisper.# And most of the time, we couldn't even## whisper.

We just had to sit or lie down, not# move, and just wait for the time to go by.

AMNA NAWAZ: You mentioned the cruelty of# your captors.

And, as you have probably seen,## there's been a lot of reporting and# testimonies documenting specifically the## sexual violence perpetrated against women# on the day of the attacks on October 7.

I'm sorry to ask it this way, but do# you know anything about that kind of## violence perpetrated against women either on# that day or during your time in captivity?

AVIVA SIEGEL: Yes, I'm lucky# that I'm old.

I wasn't touched.

But I do know that it's true.# I was there.

And it's true.

And## it's terrible.

And I don't want to talk about it.

AMNA NAWAZ: I just want to be clear.# When you say it's true, you're talking## about what you witnessed during your time in# captivity, n AVIVA SIEGEL: Correct.

AMNA NAWAZ Hamas may be reluctant to release women they're# holding hostage is because of the se perpetrated against those women during their time# in captivity.

Do you believe that to be true?

AVIVA SIEGEL: I think so.

AMNA NAWAZ: Is there anyth anything else you think it's# important for people AVIVA SIEGEL: I think the world has to wake up.

Girls aren't to touch.

Nobody should# touch anybody we need to get them out.

We need to# get them out as quick as possible,## because they have been there# for 88 days, and that's enough.

AMNA NAWAZ: You were held for 51 days# during some of the most intense bombing## campaigns by Israel.

Did any of those# bombs ever come close to where you were?

AVIVA SIEGEL: Very close.

One of went out and said that it fell 100 meters# next to us.

And when we moved from there,## we could see that the building that# was next to us was finished.

It was## just on the ground.

It fell just next# to us, and lots of them fell next to us.

They bombed all the town night, day, every minute.

AMNA NAWAZ: Did you ever think that you might# actually lose your life in one of those bombs?

AVIVA SIEGEL: All the time.

AMNA NAWAZ: Av temporary cease-fire with Hamas.

There was# an exchange of dozens of hostages they had## been holding in exchange for the release of# Palestinians that had been held in Israel.

At what moment did it hit you# that you were finally free?

AVIVA SIEGEL: Only when the Red Cross# moved me to the Israelis.

That's the## only minute that I believed# that that's going to happen.

The evening before I was out, he came and# he said: "Tomorrow, you go t So I said: "I'm not going without Keith."

And he said: "But Keith can't come.

He# needs to stay here And I said: "No, I want Keith to come with me."

AMNA NAWAZ: Were you and Keith being# held in the same place at that ti AVIVA SIEGEL: Keith and I were# together until nearly the end.

AMNA NAWAZ: So, you knew in advance# that you would b How do you process that?

What# did you talk about with him?

AVIVA SIEGEL: We didn't talk about it at all# before, because we didn't even thin we will ever get out there.

We thought that we're# going to die there.

We're going to stay there.

The## Hamas people told us all the time: "You are# not going back to Israel.

You go to Europe,## because there's no Israel anymore.

Israel# has been destroyed.

The whole world has## been bombing Israel.

Israel is finished.# So you have got no place to go back to."

And I believed them.

AMNA NAWAZ: And in the moment# as they said you would be, do you have to# say goodbye to AVIVA SIEGEL: They hardly let me.

I said:# "Sorry.

I'm going to say goodbye to Keith,"## because he was in a different room.

And I just# pushed them and ran to Keith.

I gave him a big,## huge hug.

And I said: "You# be strong for me.

I will be## strong for you," because I didn't# know if I will ever see him ag And I didn't know if it was the truth.# But that's what I did.

And then I walked## out with my head up and I said, I'm going to# be strong for Keith, and that's what I did.

And I'm strong for Keith now, but I want# him back.

He's 64 years old.

He has health## problems.

And he needs to get out now with# all the other hostages -- 88 days.

There's## been a month that nobody has been# released.

And if they did it once,## that means they can do it again.

They need# to get them out now, before it's too late.

We need Keith home for the family.# He needs to see his grandchildren.

I## asked his granddaughter that's 8 today:# "What kind of a grandfather was Keith?"

So she said: "He was the best# grandfather in the world."

And that's Keith.

He's kind.# He's soft.

He's special.

He's## such a giving person.

And everybody# loves him.

We love him.

I love him.## The grandchildren need him.

His kids# need him.

He needs to come back now.

AMNA NAWAZ: Aviva, what has every day# since you were released been like for you,## knowing that Keith is still held hostage there?

AVIVA SIEGEL: Terrible.

Terrible.# I am just so sad.

And strong because I have four children# to look after and to be their mom.

And I want to be strong for them.

And# I promised Keith that I'm going to be## strong for him.

I can't explain what a# horrible feeling that is livin AMNA NAWAZ: There have been a few exchanges, as# you mentioned already, but it has been several## weeks.

There's been no hostage release.

Why do you# think that is?

Why has it come to a s AVIVA SIEGEL: I have a feeling that# Netanyahu wants to keep the war going## because he wants to win the war.

But he can't# keep the war going and get the hostages out.

He needs to keep -- he needs to go to a# cease-fire and then get them out.

And he## needs to get them out now, as quick as# possible, because 88 days are enough.

AMNA NAWAZ: Are you worried that Prime Minister## Netanyahu is prioritizing AV IVA SIEGEL: I have got a feeling that that's why# the war is continuing.

He wants to win the war.

AMNA NAWAZ: But do you think he is# prioritizing that over bringing hostages home?

AVIVA SIEGEL: I am not a politician, and there's# things that I don't understand.

But I do k that there needs to be a cease-fire for them# to come out, and there isn't a cease-fire.

AMNA NAWAZ: At the same time,# Aviva, the war does rage on,## right?

And we are now at a point# where some 21,000 Pa have been killed as a response to that# one attack, mostly women and children.

I just wonder how you are watching and processing## all of that while your husband# is still held hostage there.

AVIVA SIEGEL: I want to ask Biden and I want# to ask all the leaders of the world this world a better world for everybody,# for every country, for every mother that## has a child, for every grandfather and# grandmother that has grandchildren.

AMNA NAWAZ: At the same -- it's not President# Biden who has launched this campaign though,## right?

What would you say to your own government## about its response in Gaza# since the October AVIVA SIEGEL: I want to just say that# all the leaders of the wor together and be strong enough to stop wars# all over and to stop the war with Ham that people -- innocent people will be able# to just live lives, like our life was before.

So I want to ask Biden to lead it,# because he's the leader of the world,## and to put pressure on Netanyahu to stop the# war and bring them home.

We need to Keith home.

AMNA NAWAZ: Today marks 88 days that# your husband has been held hostage in## Gaza.

If you could say anything to# him right now, what would you say?

AVIVA SIEGEL: That I love him and that I want# him back, and that we're doing everything we can.

But we're not politicians.

We're# doing everything, the whole family,## my daughters, my family.

We're all doing# everything we can that Keith will come home,## because we need him with us,# and he needs us with him.

AMNA NAWAZ: Aviva Siegel, thank you so, so# much for joining us today.

We are thinking## of you and your family and of Keith.

And# we hope to speak with you again soon.

Thank you.

AVIVA SIEGEL: