Six individuals held captive in Gaza successfully freed and revived.
In the Gaza Strip, the remains of six individuals, allegedly taken hostage by the militant group Hamas, have been identified by US President Joe Biden. Biden declared, "This morning, Israeli forces unearthed the bodies of six hostages seized by Hamas within a tunnel under the metropolis of Rafah." Among these victims was Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a US-Israeli dual citizen.
Goldberg-Polin was one of the 251 hostages kidnapped by Palestinian militants during an attack on October 7. While an estimated 100 hostages remain in captivity, many are feared deceased based on reports from the Israeli military.
Originally, the Israeli Foreign Ministry released a statement from Goldberg-Polin's family mourning the loss of their beloved son and brother. The military had previously uncovered several bodies during a Gaza Strip operation and stated, "Currently, our troops are still deployed in the area, conducting a search and recovery mission. This process may take several hours."
At first, there was ambiguity regarding whether the discovered bodies were those of Israeli hostages. In light of this uncertainty, the military urged caution against spreading rumors. Previous conjecture swirled on social media regarding the existence of hostages, latterly inciting "demonstrations" in Israel, though the military refused to offer further details.
Democratic Convention Attendance
Recently, Goldberg-Polin's parents participated in the Democratic convention. Rachel Goldberg, in her emotional speech, revealed, "Among the hostages are eight American citizens, and our only son is among them." On Thursday, the family and other relatives of the hostages convened at the Gaza Strip border, attempting to communicate with the captives through amplified speakers. Rachel Goldberg implored, "Hersh, it's Mom. I pray to God that He brings you home, right now. I love you, stay strong."
Back in April, Hamas released a video featuring Goldberg-Polin. He accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of abandoning the hostages to Hamas following the October 7 assault on the Nova music festival in southern Israel. Goldberg-Polin, who sustained severe injuries during the Hamas attack, underwent kidnapping and was subsequently taken to the Gaza Strip, according to Israeli press.
In the April video, Goldberg-Polin was portrayed wearing a red shirt, sitting on a plastic chair, with his left arm amputated. He lamented, "I merely sought to enjoy time with my companions, and I soon found myself fighting for my life, suffering from injuries across my entire body." In reprisal for the attack, Israel initiated a significant military operation in the Gaza Strip. Hamas, however, whose claims cannot be independently verified, alleges that more than 40,600 individuals have perished since then.
The US President Joe Biden expressed his condolences over the identified remains of six individuals, stating that they were hostages seized by Hamas. Despite the military's ongoing search and recovery mission in the Gaza Strip, many hostsages, including Hersh Goldberg-Polin, are still feared deceased.
