Israeli-American among six hostages found dead in Gaza Strip

In a statement via the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday evening, the Israeli military (IDF) states that they found the dead while in combat.

The White House states that the six were found in a tunnel under Rafah. Israeli officials inform the website Axios that it is unclear when and how the hostages were killed, but says that some had been alive in recent months.

All six were taken from the Nova music festival in the south of Israel on 7 October 2023, and according to Axios there are three women and three men.

Israeli-American dead

Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin has died, his family says. He was last seen in a video Hamas published in April.

– It is with broken hearts and deep sorrow that the Goldberg-Polin family announces the death of their beloved son and brother Hersh. The family thanks you for all the love and support, and prays for peace at this time, says a statement that will come out on the night of Sunday.

Goldberg-Polin was one of the most famous hostages, as his parents have met with world leaders and pleaded for help. In July, they spoke at the Democrats’ national meeting, where the audience shouted “bring them home”.

The IDF states in a statement that the other five are Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, and Ori Danino, and that everyone’s remains have been taken to Israel.

According to the BBC, Gat was taken from Kibbutz Be’eri, while Yerushalmi, Russian-Israeli Lobanov, Sarusi and Danino were all abducted from the Nova festival.

Announces large demonstration

An organization that represents relatives of those taken hostage by Hamas writes in a statement that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has “failed the hostages” and that “it is now a fact”, reports Haaretz.

– From tomorrow the country will tremble, we ask the general public to be prepared, writes the organization and adds that there will be “further, detailed messages” on Sunday morning.

There were also large demonstrations in Tel Aviv on Saturday, where thousands turned up to urge the government to enter into an agreement. There were several clashes between protesters and the police.

Before Saturday’s announcement of the find, Israel said it estimated there were 108 hostages still being held in the Gaza Strip, and that a third of these had been killed. Axios writes that after Saturday’s operation, there are 101 left.

– Sentenced to death

On Saturday evening, before news of the dead hostages came, relatives of the abductees held a meeting at the IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv. There they accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of having failed the hostages.

– Netanyahu and his government partners have decided to torpedo the ceasefire agreement for the Philadelphia Corridor, and with it willfully sentence the hostages to death, it said in a statement.

Among the key points of contention in the negotiations between Israel and Hamas is Israel’s demand to retain military control over the so-called Philadelphi Corridor, a narrow 14.5 kilometer long strip of land along Gaza’s southern border with Egypt.

Hamas demands a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and Egypt is said to have also repeated that it will not accept any Israeli presence at the border.

The news of the dead hostages puts renewed pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and negotiations for a ceasefire. Netanyahu has said military pressure is needed to ensure their release.

Biden hopeful of agreement

US President Joe Biden told reporters on Saturday that he remains optimistic about the chances of getting the country an agreement that could end the war.

– I think we are getting close to reaching an agreement. It’s time for this war to end, Biden said.

He added that “people continue to meet.”

– We believe that we can reach the agreement, they have all said that they agree with the principles, said Biden.

Hamas and the Islamic Holy War (Jihad) abducted around 250 Israelis and foreigners during the attack on October 7 last year. Around 1,200, mostly civilians, were killed in the attack.

At least 40,691 Palestinians have been killed and 94,060 wounded in the Israeli attacks since October 7, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.