Nearly 11 months after being taken hostage by Hamas, Israeli American Hersh Goldberg-Polin was found dead in Gaza along with five other hostages. President Joe Biden confirmed that the hostages’ bodies were recovered in a tunnel under Rafah, with Hamas having killed them shortly before Israeli forces reached them. Goldberg-Polin, who was attending a music festival for peace in Israel, lost his arm during a savage massacre by Hamas, leaving behind his dreams of traveling the world at the age of 23. The Israel Defense Forces identified the other hostages as Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, and Master Sgt. Ori Danino.
Goldberg-Polin was born in the United States and moved to Israel with his family at the age of 7. He was described as an older brother to two sisters and a passionate fan of the Hapoel Jerusalem basketball team. His parents, who have been vocal advocates for the release of their son and the other hostages, launched a social media campaign and made regular media appearances. They, along with other hostage families, relentlessly urged the Israeli government and the international community to focus on the plight of their loved ones. Video footage of the October 7 attack showed Goldberg-Polin being injured by a grenade blast that resulted in the loss of his left forearm and being taken at gunpoint towards Gaza.
A video released by Hamas’ military wing in April showed Goldberg-Polin under unclear circumstances, sparking his parents to continue their fight for his release. The video led Goldberg-Polin’s mother to call for compromises from Netanyahu’s government to end the suffering on both sides. His parents joined other American hostage families during Netanyahu’s visit to Washington, D.C., and made pleas at the Democratic National Convention for their son’s return. Rachel Goldberg-Polin expressed the anguish and misery they endured since their son’s abduction and emphasized the pain felt by all the hostage families.
President Biden expressed devastation and outrage over Goldberg-Polin’s death, highlighting his parents’ relentless efforts to bring their son home. Biden assured that all Americans would have them in their prayers, emphasizing his own commitment to bringing Goldberg-Polin back to his family. The tragic death of Goldberg-Polin was condemned as reprehensible, and the President vowed to continue working to ensure justice for the victims. Sarah Dean, Megan Lebowitz, and Mirna Alsharif were credited with their contributions to the report.
