Former Hamas Hostages Transform Trauma into Humanitarian Mission at Kenya Refugee Camp
Kakuma, 10 February 2026
Aviva and Keith Siegel, who endured captivity in Gaza for 51 and 484 days respectively, have channelled their experience into helping refugees at Kenya’s Kakuma settlement. Working with IsraAid in January 2026, the couple witnessed harrowing conditions including a 15-year-old mother with her second child. Their visit profoundly connected their own suffering to the plight of displaced persons, with Aviva describing refugees as ‘screaming out with no voice.’ The initiative demonstrates remarkable post-traumatic growth, transforming personal darkness into advocacy for the world’s most vulnerable populations.
A Journey from Darkness to Service
The five-day volunteer mission in January 2026 marked a profound turning point for the Siegel couple, who were among the hostages taken from Kibbutz Kfar Aza during the 7 October 2023 Hamas attacks [1]. Their work at Kakuma, which houses hundreds of thousands of refugees from South Sudan, Somalia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, brought them face-to-face with conditions that eerily paralleled their own experiences of helplessness and abandonment [1]. The camp, supported by the Embassy of Israel in Nairobi, represents one of the largest refugee communities globally, where families displaced by war and climate disasters struggle for survival far from international attention [2].
Confronting Parallel Traumas
During their visit, Aviva Siegel, a former school teacher, encountered a 15-year-old girl who had just given birth to her second child, having had her first at age 13 [1]. The encounter proved overwhelming for Aviva, who observed that many of the girls had been victims of sexual violence with no protection available [1]. ‘It was too much for me to carry because of so many things. You know, these girls, some of them have been raped, and there’s nobody in the world that’s protecting them, nobody,’ Aviva reflected [1]. The experience transported her back to Gaza, where she questioned how the world could allow such suffering to persist unnoticed [1].
Amplifying Voices from the Margins
The couple’s mission extended beyond witnessing conditions to actively advocating for the camp’s residents. During their partnership with IsraAid, they toured essential facilities including water points, schools, health and nutrition sites, and safe spaces for at-risk youth [2]. IsraAid, which has operated at Kakuma for over a decade with approximately 50 employees, provides critical services including health clinics, clean water access, and educational programmes [1]. The organisation’s CEO, Yotam Polizer, praised the Siegels’ contribution, stating: ‘It’s an unbelievable privilege to have Aviva and Keith, because they are really bringing voice to the voiceless’ [1].
From Personal Suffering to Global Advocacy
Following their return from Kenya, the Siegels met with First Lady Melania Trump at the White House on 3 February 2026, using the platform to advocate for Kakuma’s residents [1][3]. Keith Siegel explained to the First Lady the horrific conditions witnessed at the camp, emphasising his commitment to carrying the refugees’ stories forward [1]. ‘I kind of feel like I carry them with me, in my heart and my soul and my thoughts, and just to be able to be their voice here in the U.S.,’ he shared [1]. The couple’s connection to IsraAid was facilitated through Matan Sivek, co-founder of the D.C. Hostages and Missing Families Forum, who joined IsraAid as head of strategic partnerships in 2025 [1]. Their transformation exemplifies what Polizer described as ‘post-traumatic growth’, demonstrating how personal tragedy can evolve into meaningful service for others facing similar displacement and vulnerability [1].