Israel recovers bodies of 6 hostages in Gaza, including Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin

Israel announced on Sunday that it had recovered the bodies of six hostages in Gaza, including Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a young Israeli-American man whose captivity by Hamas drew international attention. His parents had met with world leaders, advocating for his release.

According to the Israeli military, all six hostages were killed shortly before Israeli forces arrived. The recovery of their bodies has intensified calls for mass protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom many Israelis blame for failing to secure their release in a deal with Hamas to end the ongoing conflict. Negotiations over such a deal have been protracted for months.

Netanyahu has stated that Israel holds Hamas responsible for the killings, accusing the group of stalling negotiations and claiming, “whoever murders hostages doesn’t want a deal.”

Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, along with four other hostages, was abducted during Hamas’ attack on a music festival in southern Israel on October 7, which triggered the war. Goldberg-Polin, originally from Berkeley, California, lost part of his left arm due to a grenade explosion during the attack. In April, Hamas released a video showing him alive but missing his left hand, leading to new protests in Israel demanding stronger efforts to secure the hostages’ release.

The Israeli army identified the other deceased hostages as Ori Danino, 25; Eden Yerushalmi, 24; Almog Sarusi, 27; and Alexander Lobanov, 33, all abducted from the music festival, and Carmel Gat, 40, who was taken from the nearby farming community of Be’eri. The bodies were found in a tunnel in Rafah, a city in southern Gaza, about a kilometer (half a mile) from where another hostage, Qaid Farhan Alkadi, 52, was rescued alive last week.

Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, a military spokesperson, stated that the army suspected hostages were in the area but lacked specific intelligence. Israeli forces found the bodies several dozen meters underground amid ongoing combat, though there was no firefight within the tunnel itself. He asserted there was no doubt Hamas had killed them.

Hamas has offered to release the hostages in exchange for an end to the war, the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and the release of numerous Palestinian prisoners, including high-profile militants. Izzat al-Rishq, a senior Hamas official, claimed the hostages would still be alive if Israel had accepted a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal that Hamas agreed to in July.

Families of Hostages Call for Protests

Prime Minister Netanyahu has vowed to continue the military campaign until Hamas is dismantled, asserting that military pressure is essential to bring the hostages home. Israeli media reported that Netanyahu had a heated exchange with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant during a security Cabinet meeting, accusing him of prioritizing control of a strategic corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border over the lives of the hostages. The Cabinet ultimately voted to maintain control of the corridor despite Gallant’s objections, which he argued would prevent a hostage deal.

An Israeli official, speaking anonymously, confirmed the report and said three of the hostages—Goldberg-Polin, Yerushalmi, and Gat—were scheduled to be released in the initial phase of a ceasefire proposal discussed in July. Following the recovery of the remains, Gallant expressed condolences and urged the Cabinet to reconsider its decision.

A forum of hostage families has called for a massive protest, demanding a complete shutdown of the country to pressure the government into securing a ceasefire and releasing the hostages. “A deal for the return of the hostages has been on the table for over two months. Were it not for the delays, sabotage, and excuses, those whose deaths we learned about this morning would likely still be alive,” the forum stated.

U.S. President Joe Biden, who has met with Goldberg-Polin’s parents, expressed his devastation and outrage, declaring, “Make no mistake, Hamas leaders will pay for these crimes. And we will keep working around the clock for a deal to secure the release of the remaining hostages.” Vice President Kamala Harris also offered her condolences to the Goldberg-Polin family and condemned Hamas.

A High-Profile Campaign for Hostage Release

The parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, U.S.-born immigrants to Israel, became highly visible advocates for the hostages’ release on the international stage. They met with various global leaders, including President Biden and Pope Francis, and addressed the United Nations, calling for the release of all hostages.

On August 21, they spoke at the Democratic National Convention, receiving prolonged applause and chants of “bring him home.” Jon Polin, Goldberg-Polin’s father, emphasized that the need to bring home all hostages is a humanitarian issue, not a political one. His mother, Rachel, spoke to their son directly: “Hersh, if you can hear us, we love you, stay strong, survive.” She and her husband worked to ensure their son and other hostages were seen as individuals, describing Hersh’s love for music, soccer, and travel, and his plans to attend university after completing his military service.

Approximately 250 hostages were taken on October 7, and Israel now believes 101 remain in captivity, including 35 who are presumed dead. More than 100 hostages were freed during a ceasefire in November in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, and eight have been rescued by Israeli forces.

Hamas has claimed that several hostages were killed in Israeli airstrikes and failed rescue attempts. Israeli troops accidentally killed three Israelis who escaped captivity in December.

The October 7 attack by Hamas-led militants resulted in the deaths of about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in southern Israel. Israel’s subsequent military response in Gaza has led to the deaths of over 40,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, although the breakdown of casualties between fighters and civilians is unclear. The conflict has displaced the majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents and has created a severe humanitarian crisis.

In a separate incident on Sunday, Palestinian militants killed three Israeli police officers by opening fire on their vehicle in the West Bank, amid ongoing large-scale Israeli military operations in the occupied territory.

Credit: AP News