IDF Recovers Bodies of 6 Israeli Hostages, Including US Citizen Hersh Goldberg-Polin
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have recovered the bodies of six Israeli hostages, including a US citizen, who were held by Hamas in Gaza, officials confirmed on Sunday. The dead were identified as Carmel Gat, Almog Sarusi, Alexander Lobanov, Ori Danino, Eden Yerushalmi, and Hersh Goldberg-Polin, whose parents led a vocal campaign to bring world attention to the captivity of their son and the other hostages. Goldberg-Polin became a symbol of American hostages in Gaza.
The operation took place on Saturday as part of ongoing efforts to reach a deal for the release of remaining hostages and a possible cease-fire.
The bodies, of three men and three women abducted during the Nova music festival on October 7, were found underground in Gaza. The identification process took several hours. The IDF stated that the hostages were not killed during recent military operations, as no force was used near the site where the bodies were discovered.
The discovery of the bodies has intensified criticism against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Opposition Leader Yair Lapid accused Netanyahu of prioritizing his political narrative over the lives of the hostages, stating, “While our sons and daughters are abandoned and die in captivity, Netanyahu is busy spinning the narrative.” Lapid reiterated his belief that the prime minister is more concerned with maintaining his coalition than addressing the war or the hostage crisis.
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The Hostage Families Forum, representing the families of those still held in Gaza, also expressed their outrage on social media. In a statement posted on the X platform, the group declared, “Netanyahu abandoned the hostages: This is now a fact,” and warned that the country “will tremble” and “grind to a halt” in response to the government’s actions.
US President Joe Biden, who was briefed on the situation, expressed hope for the ongoing negotiations aimed at securing a cease-fire and the release of the remaining hostages. However, he acknowledged that he did not have details about the identities of the recovered bodies.
Goldberg-Polin’s family, expressing grief after the confirmation of his death, released a statement saying, “With broken hearts, the Goldberg-Polin family is devastated to announce the death of their beloved son and brother, Hersh. The family thanks you all for your love and support and asks for privacy at this time.”
The Media Line interviewed Goldberg-Polin’s parents, Rachel Goldberg and Jon Polin, in May, when they shared their painful experience of waiting for their son’s hoped-for release. Their words reflected the deep anguish of families caught in the uncertainty and terror of the hostage situation.
In December and May, The Media Line interviewed Shay Dickmann, Carmel Gat’s cousin. She said Gat was using her skills as an occupational therapist to help other hostages, and expressed deep concern about her cousin’s physical and mental well-being after months in Hamas captivity, fearing particularly that Gat may have been abused. She emphasized that it is the world’s responsibility to ensure the safe return of all the hostages and criticized the lack of action from international humanitarian organizations in reaching out to families or investigating the conditions of the captives.
The recovery of these six bodies has brought renewed attention to the 101 hostages still believed to be held in Gaza. Uncertainty continues to surround their fate, as well as the circumstances under which the deceased hostages were killed.
