Israel’s military has recovered the bodies of six hostages from a Hamas tunnel in Rafah, southern Gaza, including American-Israeli citizen Hersh Goldberg-Polin. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) identified the other hostages as Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, and Ori Danino. According to IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, preliminary findings suggest the hostages were ‘cruelly murdered by Hamas terrorists shortly before we reached them’.The discovery has intensified criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s handling of the hostage crisis. The Forum of Hostages and Missing Families accused the government of ‘abandoning the hostages’ and announced ‘historic’ protests across Israel. They stated, ‘If it weren’t for the delays, sabotage, and excuses, those whose deaths we learned about this morning would probably still be alive’.U.S. President Joe Biden expressed his devastation and outrage at the news, particularly regarding Goldberg-Polin, who was taken hostage during the NOVA music festival attack on October 7, 2023. Biden vowed, ‘Hamas leaders will pay for these crimes. And we will continue to work around the clock for a deal to secure the release of the remaining hostages’.The recovery of these bodies reduces the number of people still held captive to 97, out of the 251 taken on October 7, 2023. The ongoing conflict has resulted in significant Palestinian casualties, with at least 40,691 deaths and 94,060 injuries since October 7, 2023, according to Gaza’s health ministry.As international mediators continue efforts to broker a ceasefire deal, this tragic development marks a somber moment in the ongoing crisis, potentially influencing future negotiations and military operations in the region.
Key points
- Israel recovered bodies of six hostages, including American-Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin, from a Hamas tunnel in Gaza.
- The discovery has intensified criticism of Prime Minister Netanyahu and sparked calls for nationwide protests.
- U.
- The number of hostages still held captive is now 97, out of 251 taken on October 7, 2023.
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President Biden condemned Hamas and vowed to continue efforts for the release of remaining hostages.
