Tragic Death of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, American-Israeli Hostage

Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a young American-Israeli who had been held captive in the Gaza Strip for nearly 11 months after being abducted by Hamas and its affiliates, has tragically passed away. President Biden made the announcement late on Saturday, expressing his condolences and the gravity of the situation.

“Earlier today, in a tunnel under the city of Rafah, Israeli forces recovered six bodies of hostages held by Hamas,” Mr. Biden stated in a press release from the White House, referring to the city located in southern Gaza. “We have now confirmed that one of the hostages killed by these vicious Hamas terrorists was an American citizen, Hersh Goldberg-Polin.”

This announcement came just hours after the Israeli military revealed that it had recovered several bodies during a military operation in the Gaza Strip, leading to immediate speculation in Israel about the fate of additional hostages who may have perished while in captivity. The situation has intensified calls for an immediate cease-fire to facilitate the return of the remaining 100 or so hostages, both deceased and alive.

Goldberg-Polin was among approximately 250 individuals who were taken hostage during the brutal assault by Hamas on October 7. He was last seen in a video released by Hamas in April and had suffered severe injuries during the initial attack.

In a heartfelt statement, President Biden expressed his sorrow and anger at the loss. “I am devastated and outraged. Hersh was among the innocents brutally attacked while attending a music festival for peace in Israel,” he said. “He lost his arm while heroically helping friends and strangers during Hamas’ savage massacre. He had just turned 23.”

In his address, President Biden committed to continuing efforts to negotiate an agreement for the release of the remaining hostages. However, he also issued a stern warning: “Make no mistake, Hamas leaders will pay for these crimes.”