Israel announced on Sunday that it had recovered the bodies of six hostages in Gaza, including a young Israeli-American man who had been held captive by Hamas. The man, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, became one of the most well-known captives as his parents campaigned for his release, even speaking at the Democratic convention last month.
The news led to calls for protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was blamed by many families of the hostages and the public for failing to secure their release in a cease-fire deal with Hamas. Negotiations for such a deal had been ongoing for months.
Goldberg-Polin, 23, was abducted by militants at a music festival in southern Israel on October 7. He lost part of his left arm in the attack. In April, a video released by Hamas showed him speaking under duress, sparking renewed protests in Israel.
The Israeli army confirmed that he was among the six hostages who were killed during a rescue operation in Gaza. The bodies were found in a tunnel in Rafah. The other victims were identified as Ori Danino, Eden Yerushalmi, Almog Sarusi, Alexander Lobanov, and Carmel Gat.
Israel’s military spokesperson, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, stated that the hostages were “cruelly murdered by Hamas terrorists” before they could be rescued. Prime Minister Netanyahu had taken a tough stance in negotiations, insisting on military pressure to secure the hostages’ release.
President Joe Biden expressed his outrage at the news and promised to continue working for the release of the remaining hostages. The Goldberg-Polin family released a statement confirming Hersh’s death and thanking supporters for their love and privacy.
Goldberg-Polin’s parents had been actively campaigning for their son’s release, meeting with world leaders and addressing the United Nations. They had also spoken at the Democratic National Convention, urging for the safe return of all hostages.
Before the latest discovery of bodies, Israel believed that 108 hostages were still held in Gaza, with some confirmed dead. The military had previously rescued eight hostages, with others being freed during a cease-fire exchange in November.
Two previous rescue operations had resulted in casualties on both sides. Hamas claimed that some hostages were killed in Israeli airstrikes and rescue attempts. Israeli forces accidentally killed three hostages who had escaped in December.
