A former hostage fought for her own life in Gaza. A year on, she fights for her husband’s freedom

Associated Press

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Aviva Siegel has come to embody the disaster that befell Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Armed Hamas militants snatched her from her home and thrust her into Gaza’s web of tunnels. Released during a brief cease-fire, she returned to find her community destroyed. She became one of tens of thousands of Israelis displaced by the year of conflict. And she has emerged as a prominent voice in the struggle to free the remaining hostages, fighting tirelessly for her husband’s release. But as her ordeal reaches the one-year mark, Israel’s attention is not focused on the plight of the hostages and their families. Instead, it’s focused on fighting Hezbollah in Lebanon. It’s the latest diversion to chip away at Siegel’s hope that she may reunite with her husband of 43 years anytime soon.