Middle East latest: American-Israeli hostage rarely saw sunlight, daughter says

The daughter of an American-Israeli hostage freed from captivity over the weekend, the latest release in the Gaza ceasefire deal, said he spent long periods in isolation and lost a drastic amount of weight.

The six-week first phase of the truce calls for the release of 33 hostages and nearly 2,000 prisoners, as well as the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza and an increase in humanitarian aid to the devastated territory.

Israel and Hamas are beginning to negotiate a second phase of the ceasefire, which calls for releasing the remaining hostages and extending the truce indefinitely. The war could resume in early March if an agreement is not reached.

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Here's the latest:

American-Israeli hostage spent long periods in isolation, daughter says

JERUSALEM — American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel, 65, who was released from captivity Saturday, spent long periods of time alone, rarely saw sunlight and was given very little food, causing him to lose a drastic amount of weight, his daughter said Monday night from the hospital in Tel Aviv where her father is recuperating.

Shir Siegel added that her father insisted Monday on knowing what happened to Kibbutz Kfar Aza during Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack.

“We had to go over a cruel and long list of 64 people, dear to us and loved, and he could not understand that so many of his friends were murdered,” Siegel said.

Aviva Siegel, Keith Siegel's wife, who was also kidnapped and released in the weeklong ceasefire in November 2023, thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for help negotiating the ceasefire and pleaded with him to ensure the next stage of the ceasefire will take place.

“The hardest part is ahead of us, and I trust you to see this deal through, because it’s the road to healing for all of us,” she said, in a message to both the Israeli and American governments.

Opposition leader says ceasefire won't bring down Netanyahu government

JERUSALEM — Israel’s opposition leader says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government will not fall over the continuation of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip that brings about the return of more hostages.

Yair Lapid spoke Monday, the day before Netanyahu was to meet with Trump at the White House to discuss the truce. His remarks aimed at preventing Netanyahu from citing domestic political pressure as a reason for resuming the war.

Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners have vowed to quit the government if he does not resume the war after the first phase ends in early March. Their departure would significantly raise the chances of early elections in which Netanyahu could be voted out.

Lapid, speaking from an Israeli community near the border that was devastated in Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7, 2023, said “Netanyahu has a political safety net from the opposition for the deal, for every stage.”

“The deal has the overwhelming support of the people of Israel, and the deal has the overwhelming support of the Knesset of Israel,” he added, referring to Israel’s parliament.

Russian diplomat meets with Hamas envoy

MOSCOW — A senior Russian diplomat met a visiting Hamas envoy Monday to discuss the ceasefire deal in Gaza.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, President Vladimir Putin’s envoy for the Middle East and Africa, held talks with Hamas’ Musa Abu-Marzouq.

The ministry said they discussed the progress of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza “with an emphasis on the importance of increasing the volume of humanitarian aid to the affected Palestinian population.”

The ministry’s statement noted that the Russian side once again “particularly emphasized the need to fulfill the promises made by the Hamas leadership” regarding the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip.

Syria's interim president to meet with Turkish officials

ANKARA, Turkey — Syria’s interim president is set to visit Ankara on Tuesday, making his second international trip after his visit to Saudi Arabia, a top Turkish presidential aide has announced.

Ahmad al-Sharaa, the newly installed former rebel leader who headed the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham militant group, is scheduled to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other Turkish officials.

Talks would focus on steps that can be taken toward Syria’s economic recovery as well as the country’s security and stability, Fahrettin Altun, the aide, announced on the X social media platform Monday.

Discussions would also center on how various countries and international organizations can offer assistance to Syria’s transitional administration and its people, he added.

Turkey was a strong backer of groups opposed to ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad during the country’s civil war and is considered to be one of the new administration’s key allies.