Six hostages, including Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Pollin, found dead in Gaza

Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an Israeli-American who was held hostage in the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack, was one of six hostages whose bodies were recovered Saturday.

“It is with great sadness that the Goldberg-Pollin family announces the passing of their beloved son and brother Hersh. Our family appreciates everyone’s love and support and asks that our privacy be respected,” a family representative said.

President Joe Biden says the bodies of Goldberg Pollin and five other hostages held by Hamas have been found in a tunnel beneath Rafah.

“I am shocked and outraged,” Biden said in a statement.

The IDF identified the hostages as Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi and Master Sgt. Ori Danino.

The IDF and Shin Bet security service recovered the bodies from the tunnel and brought them back to Israeli territory, the IDF said.

“Since Farhan was identified, troops have been instructed to proceed with greater caution than usual because they are aware there may be other hostages in the area,” he said. “We do not know the exact location of the hostages.”

Hagari expressed condolences to the families of the hostages.

“It is now 331 days since October 7 that the hostages have been held captive by Hamas. There are no words to describe the suffering they have endured and what their families have gone through. This morning, the news came as a shock to all of us,” he said.

Goldberg-Pollin, 23, was one of the hostages taken in the attack on the Supernova music festival in Israel’s desert. and lost an arm in a grenade explosion.

His parents have been publicly calling for the hostage to be brought home, including An impassioned plea Demand his release during the Democratic National Convention

“They have been steadfast in their defense of their sons and all the hostages being held in appalling conditions,” Biden said. “I admire them and I grieve for them beyond words. There is no doubt that Hamas leaders will pay for these crimes. We will continue to work around the clock to reach an agreement that secures the release of the remaining hostages.”

Gat, 40 Kidnapped She was released from her parents’ home in Kibbutz Beri and is an occupational therapist in Tel Aviv, according to the Hostage Families Forum. The group said returning hostages called her “their guardian angel” who taught them meditation and yoga during captivity.

The forum states: “She enjoys traveling alone, meeting new people, and live rock concerts, particularly Radiohead.”

Yerushalmi, 24, from Tel Aviv, was taken from the Nova festival where she was working as a bartender, according to the forum. She loved her family, Pilates, animals and dance, according to a video posted on an Instagram account dedicated to calling for her to return home.

Lobanov, 33, Sarusi, 27, Others were kidnapped at the festival, according to the Hostage and Missing Families Forum.

Lobanov worked as a bar manager at the festival. While he was held, his wife gave birth to their second child, according to the Hostage Families Forum. He is from Ashkelon.

A post on the X account Bring Them Home Now described Sarusi, of Raanana, as a “smart, funny guy who was kind to everyone.” He was at the festival with his girlfriend of five years when she was killed. He “stayed with her while she was injured and tried to help but was subsequently arrested,” according to the forum.

Danino, 25, from Jerusalem, was also kidnapped at the Nova festival, according to the Israeli Embassy in the U.S. The embassy said he “helped others escape before being arrested.” The forum said he was the eldest of five siblings and planned to begin studying electrical engineering.

Messages of grief and anger began pouring in from Biden administration officials and politicians Saturday night after news of Goldberg-Pollin’s death broke.

Vice President Kamala Harris expressed condolences over Goldberg-Pollin’s death and said in a statement that she would pray for Hersh’s parents and “all those who knew and loved Hersh.”

She strongly condemned Hamas, calling it “an evil terrorist organization” that now has “even more American blood on its hands.”

“The threat Hamas poses to the Israeli people and American citizens in Israel must be eliminated and Hamas cannot control Gaza,” she said in the statement, which was made in her official capacity as vice president, not as a candidate for president.

Citing Jewish mourning for the dead, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said: “Our hearts break for Jon, Rachel and their entire family, and for the other families who learned today that their loved ones can’t come home. May their memory be a blessing.”

Goldberg-Polling’s parentsFamilies of the hostages and others have urged Netanyahu, the Israeli government and the international community to pay attention to the plight of their loved ones.

In July, Goldberg-Polin’s parents Reunited with families of other US hostages during Netanyahu’s visit to Washington Share their message: Bring the hostages home now.

At last week’s Democratic National Conventionhis parents again begged him to come back.

“We’ve lived on another planet ever since,” Rachel Goldberg-Pollin said of her son’s abduction. “Anyone who is a parent or has been a parent can imagine the pain and suffering that Jon, I and all the hostage families have been through.”

In one Statement about XThe Hostage and Missing Families Forum accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of “abandoning the kidnapped! It is a fact.”

“From tomorrow the country will be shaken. We call on the public to be prepared. We are locking down the country,” the statement said. The forum said it would announce more details on Sunday morning.

Netanyahu faces growing pressure from Israel and around the world to reach a deal Cease-fire agreement A deal was reached with Hamas to secure the release of the hostages and end the Gaza war.

Earlier on Saturday, Biden called for an end to the war.

“We should end this war,” Biden said. “I think we’re close to a deal. It’s time to end it. It’s time to end it.”

On October 7, Hamas launched a terrorist attack in Israel, killing more than 1,200 people and taking about 250 people hostage.

The Gaza Strip has been devastated and a humanitarian crisis has emerged, with health officials saying Israel’s military offensive has killed more than 40,000 people, sparking international condemnation and isolating Netanyahu on the international stage.

About 100 hostages remain held by Hamas.

In the 10 months since the attack, some hostages have been freed through diplomatic deals, some have been rescued in IDF operations and some have been killed or died in captivity. The plight of the hostages has roiled Israeli society, sparking protests and anger because Netanyahu has failed to reach a ceasefire to allow them to return home.