Bodies of six Israeli hostages found in a tunnel in southern Gaza
IDF says Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Ori Danino, Alex Lubnov, Carmel Gat and Almog Sarusi had been murdered possibly a day or two earlier
The bodies of six young Israeli hostages who had been abducted alive by Hamas on 7 October have been discovered in a tunnel in southern Gaza.
They were found a few days after they were killed by the terrorists, the Israel Defense Forces said on Sunday.
The identified hostages are Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23; Eden Yerushalmi, 24; Ori Danino, 25; Alex Lubnov, 32; Carmel Gat, 40; and Almog Sarusi, 27.
Goldberg-Polin, Yerushalmi, Lubnov, Sarusi and Danino were taken from the Nova music festival. Gat was abducted from Kibbutz Be’eri.
IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari said that the six hostages were “brutally murdered” by Hamas shortly before the troops arrived – possibly only a day or two before their bodies were found.
“Based on an initial assessment, they were brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists shortly before we reached them. These individuals were taken alive on the morning of 7 October by the Hamas terror group,” he said during a press conference.
Their bodies were found during ongoing military operations in Rafah, in a tunnel less than a mile from where Farhan al-Qadi was rescued by IDF forces a few days earlier.
The IDF said there were no clashes with Hamas terrorists in the tunnel, and the guards who likely murdered the six had fled the area. However, troops battled terror operatives above ground in the area where the tunnel was located.
US President Joe Biden said he was “devastated and outraged” by the murder of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an American citizen.
In a statement released immediately after the Goldberg-Polin family confirmed Hersh’s death, Biden said he would continue to press “around the clock” for a ceasefire deal that would result in the release of the remaining hostages. There are now fewer than 100 hostages in Gaza, of whom dozens are known to be dead.
Biden, whose personal history of loss has gained him a reputation as “consoler-in-chief,” also noted that he had gotten to know Goldberg-Polin’s parents, Rachel Goldberg and Jon Polin, through the ordeal and was mourning with them. Here is his complete statement:
Earlier today, in a tunnel under the city of Rafah, Israeli forces recovered six bodies of hostages held by Hamas. We have now confirmed that one of the hostages killed by these vicious Hamas terrorists was an American citizen, Hersh Goldberg-Polin.
I am devastated and outraged. Hersh was among the innocents brutally attacked while attending a music festival for peace in Israel on October 7. He lost his arm helping friends and strangers during Hamas’ savage massacre. He had just turned 23. He planned to travel the world.
I have gotten to know his parents, Jon and Rachel. They have been courageous, wise, and steadfast, even as they have endured the unimaginable. They have been relentless and irrepressible champions of their son and of all the hostages held in unconscionable conditions. I admire them and grieve with them more deeply than words can express. I know all Americans tonight will have them in their prayers, just as Jill and I will.
I have worked tirelessly to bring their beloved Hersh safely to them and am heartbroken by the news of his death. It is as tragic as it is reprehensible. Make no mistake, Hamas leaders will pay for these crimes. And we will keep working around the clock for a deal to secure the release of the remaining hostages.
Since the release of more than 100 hostages in a temporary ceasefire in November, Goldberg-Polin was one of eight hostages with U.S. citizenship, of whom three were previously known to be dead.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
