Jon Polin, whose only son is a musician, will be with us in the next few months. Israel and the militant group retaliatory offensive in Gaza
This is a political gathering. But needing our only son — and all of the cherished hostages — home is not a political issue. It is a humanitarian issue,” said his father, Jon Polin. His mother, Rachel, who bowed her head during the ovation and touched her chest, said “Hersh, if you can hear us, we love you, stay strong, survive.”
She and her husband sought to keep their son and the others held from being reduced to numbers, describing Hersh as a music and soccer lover and traveler with plans to attend university since his military service had ended. At events she often addressed her son directly in the hope he could hear her, urging him to live another day.
An Israeli official confirmed the report and said three of the hostages — Goldberg-Polin, Yerushalmi and Gat — had been slated to be released in the first phase of a cease-fire proposal discussed back in July. The official was not allowed to brief the media about the negotiations.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed over 40,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, who do not say how many were fighters or civilians. The vast majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have been displaced many times as a result of it.
There was no immediate comment from Hamas. In exchange for an end to the war, a large number of Palestinian prisoners and the release of hostages, the militant group has said that it will release 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. It’s time to bring our hostages home,” it said in a statement.
A forum of hostage families is calling for a massive protest, demanding a complete halt in the country to push for the release of hostages.
Herzog, Gallant, and Other Israelis Left Behind: The Awaited News of Qaid Alkadi and the Fate of Gaza
Israel’s mostly ceremonial president, Isaac Herzog, said: “The heart of an entire nation is shattered to pieces.” Gallant said: “In the name of the state of Israel, I hold their families close to my heart and ask forgiveness.” There was no immediate comment from Netanyahu.
Israel’s Channel 12 reported that he got into a shouting match at a security Cabinet meeting late Thursday with his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, who accused him of prioritizing control of a strategic corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border — a major sticking point in the talks — over the lives of the hostages. According to a report in the Telegraph, the Cabinet voted in favor of remaining in the corridor because it wouldn’t allow a hostage deal.
“According to preliminary information, they were cruelly murdered by Hamas terrorists shortly before we reached them,” Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the Israeli military spokesperson, told reporters.
It said that bodies were found in a tunnel in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, approximately one mile from where Qaid Alkadi was rescued last week.
The army identified the other dead hostages as Ori Danino, 25; Eden Yerushalmi, 24; Almog Sarusi, 27; and Alexander Lobanov, 33; who were also taken from the music festival. Carmel Gat was taken from the farming community of Be’eri.
A native of Berkeley, California, lost part of his left arm in the attack. He was shown in a Hamas video missing his hand and clearly speaking under duress, sparking new protests in Israel urging the government to do more to secure his and others’ freedom.
When Hamas attacked an Israeli music festival in southern Israel on October 7th, it triggered a war that left Hersh Goldberg- Polin and four other hostages dead.
In a separate development, gunmen killed three people when they opened fire on a vehicle in the occupied West Bank, where Israel has been carrying out large-scale military raids in recent days. The casualties were confirmed by the Magen David Adom rescue service.
Israel’s largest trade union demands a U.S. backed cease-fire solution in the Gazan conflict and issuing a new wave of protests
Goldberg-Polin’s parents are immigrants to Israel and became one of the most high profile relatives of hostages on the international stage. They met with Biden, Pope Francis and others and made a plea for the release of hostages.
Gallant said after the remains were found that he held their families close to his heart and asked for forgiveness. The Cabinet’s decision was called into question by him.
Hamas has offered to release the hostages in return for an end to the war, the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the release of a large number of Palestinian prisoners, including high-profile militants.
Izzat al-Rishq said the hostages would be alive if Israel accepted the U.S. backed cease-fire proposal.
Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, a military spokesperson, said the army believed there were hostages in the area but had no specific intelligence. He said that the bodies were found several dozen meters underground but there was no firefight in the tunnel.
JERUSALEM — Israel’s largest trade union called a general strike for Monday to pressure the government for a cease-fire in Gaza after Israel said it had recovered the bodies of six hostages, including a young Israeli-American man held by Hamas.
The international airport will be included in the strike as it is represented by some 800,000 workers according to the Histadrut. The strike is aimed at persuading Israel’s government to reach a deal to bring home the remaining hostages.
A new wave of protests was expected to start Sunday evening in Israel. Many Israelis blame Netanyahu for failing to bring them back alive in a deal with Hamas to end the 10-month-old war. Negotiations over such a deal have dragged on for months.