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By DARLENE SUPERVILLE
WASHINGTON (AP) — Melania Trump on Wednesday met with a freed American-Israeli hostage whose plight she featured in her new movie, which incorporates footage from a gathering final 12 months with the person’s spouse.
Keith and Aviva Siegel had been amongst some 251 individuals taken hostage on Oct. 7, 2023, after Hamas militants launched a shock assault on southern Israel, killing about 1,200 individuals.
Keith Siegel was held for 484 days till he was launched in February 2025 beneath a U.S.-brokered ceasefire with Israel shortly after Donald Trump started his second time period as president. His spouse was held for 51 days earlier than she was freed in November 2023 beneath a earlier ceasefire.
Melania Trump on Wednesday recounted the “emotional assembly” she had with Aviva Siegel in New York in January 2025, simply earlier than Trump took workplace once more.
“After Aviva was freed, she referred to as me, wished to see me and we arrange a gathering in New York,” the primary woman stated as she sat between the Siegels within the White Home Blue Room. “It was emotional assembly, and it’s captured on digital camera and accessible to see in my movie, ‘Melania.’”
She stated Aviva Siegel gave her two of Keith Siegel’s books and she or he gave them to Donald Trump when she acquired dwelling and advised him concerning the scenario. “I do know he was preventing for the entire hostages and, as we all know now, the entire hostages are free and residential with the households.”
“Aviva was a warrior. She is a warrior. She was preventing very laborious for Keith, and I do know he suffered quite a bit,” Melania Trump stated earlier than she turned to handle him. “I’m completely satisfied to see you wholesome and residential along with your kids, your grandchildren, with your loved ones.”
Requested by a reporter if it was acceptable for her to make use of an official White Home occasion to advertise the reported $40 million, Amazon-funded documentary, the primary woman stated she wasn’t doing that.
“This isn’t promotion,” Melania Trump stated. “We’re right here celebrating the discharge of the hostages, of Aviva and Keith. They had been in Washington, D.C., they usually referred to as me. They stated they wish to come over to thank me and to offer hugs, and that’s why we’re right here. It’s nothing to do with promotion.”
Keith Siegel thanked the president and first woman, and he and his spouse complimented Melania Trump on the documentary, which was launched final week. It chronicles her life within the 20 days main as much as Trump’s second inauguration.
“I wish to thanks for being a caring, compassionate individual and for supporting and serving to Aviva throughout these troublesome days, and also you helped her enormously, in some ways,” he stated. “I’m very grateful to have the chance to say that to you in individual, sitting subsequent to you.”
Aviva Siegel advised the primary woman their assembly “gave me a lot hope, and I may really feel your coronary heart with me.”
Melania Trump had not publicly disclosed the assembly with Aviva Siegel till the documentary opened in theaters final Friday. It consists of scenes of the primary woman comforting Aviva Siegel as she expresses concern for her husband and begins to cry.
Melania Trump promised to wish for Keith and stated within the movie, “I’ll all the time use my affect and energy to combat for these in want.” She takes credit score for serving to earn his launch.
On the finish of the movie, a collection of title playing cards lists the accomplishments from her first 12 months again as first woman, and says: “Melania Trump performed a key position in securing the discharge of Keith Siegel after 484 days as a hostage in Gaza, simply 12 days after the inauguration.”
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