Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, along with five other captives, was found dead in Gaza on Sunday. The bodies were recovered shortly before the arrival of Israeli forces, sparking outrage and calls for protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Many Israelis blame Netanyahu for failing to secure the hostages’ release in a deal with Hamas to end the war. Negotiations for such a deal have been ongoing for months, with no resolution in sight.
Netanyahu condemned Hamas for killing the hostages and held them accountable for the stalled negotiations. He stated that “whoever murders hostages doesn’t want a deal.” Hamas had offered to release the hostages in exchange for an end to the war, the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and the release of Palestinian prisoners.
The other hostages killed were identified as Ori Danino, Eden Yerushalmi, Almog Sarusi, Alexander Lobanov, and Carmel Gat. They were all taken from a music festival in southern Israel during Hamas’ attack that triggered the war. A video released by Hamas in April showed Goldberg-Polin alive but missing part of his left hand, which led to protests urging the government to do more to secure the hostages’ release.
Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, a military spokesperson, confirmed that the bodies were found in a tunnel in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, near where another hostage was rescued alive. There was no firefight in the tunnel, and Hamas was believed to be responsible for killing the hostages. Hamas officials have blamed Israel for not accepting a US-backed cease-fire proposal, claiming that if Israel had agreed to it, the hostages would still be alive.
The families of the hostages called for a massive protest, demanding a “complete halt of the country” to push for the implementation of a cease-fire and the release of the remaining hostages. US President Joe Biden expressed his devastation and outrage over the killings and vowed that Hamas leaders would pay for their crimes. Vice President Kamala Harris also condemned Hamas and offered her prayers to the Goldberg-Polin family.
Goldberg-Polin’s parents, who became high-profile advocates for the release of the hostages, met with world leaders, including Biden and Pope Francis. They addressed the United Nations and spoke at the Democratic National Convention, urging for the release of all hostages. They emphasized that their son and the other hostages should not be reduced to numbers but seen as individuals with hopes and dreams.
Israel now believes that 101 hostages remain in captivity, with 35 believed to be dead. Over 100 hostages were freed during a weeklong cease-fire in November, in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners. Eight hostages have been rescued by Israeli forces. Previous Israeli operations to free hostages resulted in the deaths of scores of Palestinians. Hamas claims that several hostages have been killed in Israeli airstrikes and failed rescue attempts.
The war between Hamas-led militants and Israel has caused significant casualties and displacement. Hamas’ attack on southern Israel in October resulted in the deaths of around 1,200 people, mostly civilians. Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed over 40,000 Palestinians and displaced the majority of Gaza’s population.
In a separate development, Palestinian militants killed three Israeli police officers in the West Bank. Israel has been conducting large-scale military raids across the occupied territory in recent days. The situation remains tense, with no immediate resolution in sight.
