Israel recovers our bodies of six hostages, together with Israeli American

Israel’s navy said it recovered the our bodies of six hostages in Gaza, together with an Israel-American who grew to become a well known captive as his mother and father publicly urged for his launch through the months-long battle.

The Israel Protection Forces said Sunday the six hostages have been killed by Hamas shortly earlier than forces reached them in an underground tunnel in Rafah.

The our bodies of these recovered included Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Ori Danino, Almog Sarusi and Alex Lobanov, IDF spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari stated in a press briefing. Their our bodies have been introduced again to Israeli territory for identification earlier than their households have been knowledgeable.

Goldberg-Polin, a local of Berkeley, Calif., was taken together with 4 of the opposite hostages throughout a music pageant in southern Israel throughout Hamas’s Oct. 7 assault, the Associated Press reported.

He grew to become one of many faces of the mass kidnappings on Oct. 7, which included about 250 others who have been taken and introduced again to Gaza.

The mother and father of Goldberg-Polin, 23, spoke eventually month’s Democratic Nationwide Conference, the place they pushed for a hostage-release deal.

“With damaged hearts, the Goldberg-Polin household is devastated to announce the dying of their beloved son and brother, Hersh. The household thanks you all to your love and assist and asks for privateness at the moment,” the household said in a statement Sunday.

The restoration of the six our bodies prompted additional requires a cease-fire and hostage launch deal to finish the 10-month-old battle as negotiations drag on between Israel, Hamas and worldwide mediators.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom some Israels have blamed for failing to convey the hostages again alive with a deal, stated Sunday that Hamas members will “pay the worth,” for his or her deaths.

“We is not going to relaxation, nor will likely be silent. We are going to pursue you, we are going to discover you and we are going to settle accounts with you,” he said, adding, “Whoever murders hostages doesn’t need a deal.”

He stated efforts to free the hostages are “persevering with consistently” and alleged Hamas has “refused to carry real negotiations.”

Hamas has provided to launch the hostages in return for a halt within the battle, the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the discharge of some Palestinian prisoners, the AP famous.

Izzat al-Rishq, a senior Hamas official, advised the AP the hostages can be alive if Israel accepted a U.S.-backed cease-fire proposal that the militant group claimed to have agreed to again in July.

President Biden, who met with Goldberg-Polin’s mother and father, stated he was “devastated and outraged” to learn of the Israeli American’s dying.

“I do know all Amercian tonight can have them of their prayers, simply as Jill and I’ll,” he wrote in a statement over the weekend. “I’ve labored tirelessly to convey their beloved Hersh safely to them and am heartbroken by the information of his dying. It’s as tragic as it’s reprehensible.”

“Make no mistake, Hamas leaders pays for these crimes,” he added.

Vice President Harris expressed her condolences and said the specter of Hamas in Israel “should be eradicated.”

Hamas’s Oct. 7 assault killed about 1,200 folks along with the hostage kidnappings, sparking the battle in Gaza. Israel’s retaliatory marketing campaign has killed greater than 40,000 Palestinians since early October, in line with native well being officers.

The Related Press contributed.