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Israeli teacher and former Hamas hostage Aviva Siegel joined MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell this week and made an emotion plea for politicians to “wake up” and secure the release of her husband and others being held in Gaza.

Hamas kidnapped hundreds during their Oct. 7 attack on Israel, where more than 1,000 people, mostly civilians, were killed. Some, including Aviva, were released in November after 50 days of captivity as part of a temporary ceasefire deal. Aviva’s husband, an American named Keith, presumably remains in the custody of Hamas.

There have been increased calls for a ceasefire and release of hostages in Gaza following seven aid workers being killed in an Israeli strike. Thousands of civilians in Gaza have died as Israel has vowed they will not stop until Hamas is completely eliminated.

“I want to believe that Keith and the hostages will be out, because they belong with us, with their families, and I want to hear good things, and I want the politicians to give me hope,” Aviva Siegel told Mitchell in an interview that aired Wednesday (but was taped Tuesday).

Siegel said she’s “tired” of hearing from U.S. politicians that they are doing “everything” they can to secure the release of her husband.

“I want to tell you that politics, I have not got any room in my heart for any politics. I just have room for Keith and for the

hostages. I want them, the politics, to understand that it’s not politics that’s talking about people, human, that have got no human rights, that need to get out of there as soon as possible. Keith is 64, and he’s being treated in a bad, brutal way, and I know that because I’ve been there,” she said. “I want to hear only good things from the politicians. I’m finished and sick and tired of hearing that they are doing everything they can, and Keith is still there and the hostages are there.”

An emotional Siegel said a girl she was held with was also left behind when she was released and could be pregnant after being sexually assaulted by a Hamas member.

“They’re suffering there with people that don’t even treat them. Don’t even give them food, don’t even give them water, don’t even allow them to stand and move their body,” she said.

Asked for a “message” to the United States, Siegel demanded people “wake up” and step up to do more for the hostages in Gaza.

“My message to the world, wake up!” she said. “I want peace for the whole world. I want good for the people in Gaza. I want good for people in Israel. I want good for the people all around the world.

It can’t be that terrorists, bad, mean people like that could control the world in the way they can. Something needs to change.”

There remains a question about how many hostages remain alive. The Washington Post reported that Hamas has failed to provide a list of remaining hostages, leaving government negotiators unsure of how many are actually still alive.

Watch above via MSNBC.

Tags: Andrea Mitchell, Aviva Siegel, Gaza, Hamas, Israel, Keith Siegel