Israel has confirmed the deaths of six more hostages taken in the 7 October attack by Hamas after the captives’ bodies were found in a Gaza tunnel during military operations there.
The Israeli military (IDF) said it had located and recovered the bodies of Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, and Master Sergeant Ori Danino on Saturday from an underground tunnel in the Rafah area in the Gaza Strip and returned them to Israeli territory.
“They were all taken hostage on October 7th and were murdered by the Hamas terrorist organisation in the Gaza Strip,” said an IDF statement. “Following an identification procedure carried out by the National Institute of Forensic Medicine, the Israel police, and the IDF military rabbinate, the IDF manpower directorate’s hostage team, which is responsible for accompanying the families of the hostages, notified their families.
“The IDF and ISA send their heartfelt condolences to the families. The IDF and Israeli security forces are operating with all means to bring home all the hostages as fast as possible.”
Family of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an Israeli-American, had a few hours earlier confirmed his death after Israel initially announced the discovery of as-yet unidentified bodies during combat.
The US president, Joe Biden, followed up the family’s announcement with a statement saying the body of Goldberg-Polin was among six recovered in Gaza.
“Earlier today, in a tunnel under the city of Rafah, Israeli forces recovered six bodies of hostages held by Hamas,” Biden said. “We have now confirmed that one of the hostages … was an American citizen, Hersh Goldberg-Polin.”
Biden, who had met with Goldberg-Polin’s parents, said he was “devastated and outraged”.
“It is as tragic as it is reprehensible,” he said. “Make no mistake, Hamas leaders will pay for these crimes. And we will keep working around the clock for a deal to secure the release of the remaining hostages.”
The family issued their statement early on Sunday. “With broken hearts, the Goldberg-Polin family is devastated to announce the death of their beloved son and brother, Hersh,” it said. “The family thanks you all for your love and support and asks for privacy at this time.”
Goldberg-Polin was one of the best-known hostages as his parents had met with world leaders and pressed relentlessly for their help. Last month, they addressed the Democratic convention, where the crowd chanted: “Bring them home.”
At least 40,691 Palestinians have been killed and 94,060 injured in Israel’s military offensive in the Gaza Strip since 7 October, the Palestinian territory’s health ministry said in a statement on Saturday. The war was triggered when the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
On Saturday, clashes broke out between Israeli troops and Palestinian fighters in the occupied West Bank as Israel pushed ahead with a military operation in the flashpoint city of Jenin. Hundreds of Israeli troops have been carrying out raids since Wednesday in one of their largest actions in the West Bank in months.
Biden, speaking to reporters in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, said he was “still optimistic” about a ceasefire. “I think we’re on the verge of having an agreement,” he said. “It’s time this war ended.”
“People are continuing to meet … We think we can close the deal, they’ve all said they agree on the principles.”
With Reuters, the Associated Press and Agence France-Presse