Plane carrying freed Israeli hostages and U.S. lawmakers clipped at D.C. airport

Two planes carrying members of Congress, including Josh Gottheimer (D-Dist 5) as well as two released Israeli hostages, Keith and Aviva Siegel, clipped wings on the taxiway at Reagan Washington National Airport last Thursday, April 10.

The two American Airlines jets were taxiing when their winglets came into contact at the Washington, D.C., airport. No injuries were reported on the planes.

The passengers included a number of U.S. representatives from New Jersey and New York, including Ritchie Torres of the Bronx, perhaps the most outspoken pro-Israel Democrat in the House, as well as Mr. Gottheimer.

The Siegels, who both were taken hostage by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, were on one of the planes, according to a social media post by Ynet News. Aviva was released in the November 2023 ceasefire and Keith, an American-Israeli, was set free more than a year later, in the ceasefire that ended last month.

The couple have become vocal advocates for the release of the remaining hostages, and they were visiting Washington in part to speak at the American Jewish Committee’s Washington diplomatic seder on April 8, a few days before Passover. In his remarks, Mr. Siegel urged President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resume negotiations and broker a deal to return the remaining 59 hostages. Twenty-four of them are thought to be alive.

“During my captivity, I spent most of my days longing for my family, wondering what they were enduring and how each day was unfolding for them,” Siegel said in his talk. “Now, my greatest priority is to cherish every minute with them, and to fight for the return of the 59 hostages who are still kept captive. I cannot begin to heal until all 59 hostages are home.”

The couple told Ynet that they were startled by the incident, “but are continuing the mission.”

JTA