Speaking with the Wall Street Journal, Siegel described how she was compelled to repeat her lines and endure multiple takes for the videos, which were designed to exert psychological pressure on viewers.
Siegel revealed that she was forced to speak in front of the camera three times and was filmed while eating on at least two occasions. She was held in 13 different locations, including tunnels with poor air quality, and was deprived of food and water while being taunted by her captors.
The camera crew, including a Hebrew speaker, was strict about ensuring Siegel followed the script. She recounted being reminded to include specific details in her statements, such as her age and her hometown of Kfar Aza, and to make appeals for her return to "Bibi" (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu).
Siegel described the conditions in which she was filmed, noting that she was often forced to "smile and say everything is OK" just for the camera. Her captors made her sit next to them and appear presentable, even insisting she brush her hair and look "beautiful" for the photos.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Hamas requires terrorists holding hostages to frequently capture photos and videos, which are stored in a large archive. These materials are used to apply pressure on Israel and attack Netanyahu. The production of such hostage videos may be considered a war crime under international law.
Arab intermediaries informed the WSJ that Qatar and Egypt have attempted to prevent Hamas from releasing videos of child hostages. Released hostages reported that the video content was carefully scripted and that filming began in the early days of the conflict.
Chen Almog-Goldstein, who was taken hostage on October 7 and released with her children in November 2023, stated that they were filmed in tunnels and given snacks by the terrorists. However, that video was never released.
Israeli hostage negotiator Gershon Baskin, who helped broker a previous prisoner exchange with Hamas in 2011, commented that Hamas aims to end the war by using these videos to apply pressure on Netanyahu, impacting Israeli society as intended.
