Murdered Hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin Describes Harsh Captivity in Hamas Video
Hamas released a video of Hersh Goldberg-Polin on the terrorist group’s Telegram channel Thursday night, intensifying its psychological warfare campaign. The 23-year-old dual US-Israeli citizen, held hostage since October 7, appeared in the footage calling on the US government to intervene in the ongoing conflict. In the video, Goldberg-Polin spoke directly to his family, expressing his love and saying, “I’m thinking about you every single day.” He also described the harsh conditions of his captivity, stating that he had received almost no medical care, and lacked food, water, and sunlight.
Rachel Goldberg-Polin and Jon Polin, Hersh’s parents, approved the media publication of the video. In a statement, they said, “We are in the midst of the seven-day Jewish mourning period after burying our son Hersh (of blessed memory) on Monday. Earlier tonight, Hamas released a new video of him, taken while he was being held hostage in the tunnels underneath Gaza. This must serve as an immediate wake-up call to the world to take action today to secure the release of the remaining 101 hostages before it is too late. No other family should go through what our family (and the families of the other recently executed hostages) have endured.”
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The video is part of a series in which Hamas has shown hostages pleading with both Israeli and US leaders to secure their release. Goldberg-Polin is the fourth hostage featured, following videos of Eden Yerushalmi, Alex Lobanov, and Carmel Gat, all of whom were executed by Hamas fighters in a tunnel beneath Gaza. According to Israeli officials, the six hostages were shot execution-style last week while Israeli forces carried out operations in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
Hamas has used these videos to blame Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for stalling negotiations that could have secured the hostages’ release. The terror group also criticized the Biden Administration in the video. Israeli officials, however, have denounced the videos as propaganda designed to manipulate public opinion and divide the country. Israeli news outlets have largely refrained from airing the footage, except for select portions approved by the hostages’ families.
Goldberg-Polin’s parents had mounted a public campaign to secure his release, making him a well-known figure internationally. His video concluded with Goldberg-Polin expressing hope for his freedom: “I believe I’ll be home soon.” His death, along with the five other hostages, has triggered mass protests in Israel, with demonstrators demanding a cease-fire and intensified efforts to rescue the remaining captives.
