The body of Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin has been found in the tunnels under Rafah. Hamas had abducted the 23-year-old dual citizen on October 7 from the Nova music festival and an IDF rescue operation was closing in on his position when Hamas murdered him along with 5 other hostages.
There are no words to describe the inhumanity of the act. For the six hostages to have survived almost a year in the most unspeakably brutal conditions only to have their captors cruelly murder them when they were on the brink of being rescued demonstrates the heartlessness and cruelty of human beings without conscience, without a spark of human decency.
Goldberg-Polin's parents had traveled the world, looking to put pressure on Netanyahu to come to an agreement with Hamas and bring the hostages home. The couple gave an emotionally wrenching speech at the Democratic National Convention last week.
“This is a political convention. But needing our only son — and all of the cherished hostages — home is not a political issue. It is a humanitarian issue,” said his father, Jon Polin. His mother, Rachel added very quietly, “Hersh, if you can hear us, we love you, stay strong, survive."
Joe Biden took a moment away from working on his suntan to make a statement.
“I am devastated and outraged. Hersh was among the innocents brutally attacked while attending a music festival for peace in Israel,” Mr. Biden said. “He lost his arm helping friends and strangers during Hamas’s savage massacre. He had just turned 23.”
“Make no mistake, Hamas leaders will pay for these crimes," said the president.
Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said, "He who murders abductees - does not want a deal. We are in a difficult day. The heart of the entire nation was torn."
"Along with all the citizens of Israel, I was shocked to the core by the terrible cold-blooded murder of six of our abductees."
The Hostage Families Forum represents the families of those held are demanding a “complete halt of the country” on Sunday. “For 11 months, the government of Israel led by Netanyahu failed to do what is expected of a government — to bring its sons and daughters home,” the group said in a statement. “Netanyahu: Enough of the excuses. Enough of the spin. Enough of the abandonment.”
This is exactly what Hamas wants, of course. They don't have to do anything to pressure Netanyahu to give in to their terms. The hostage families and many people in Israel will bring that pressure to bear for them.
The raw responses to the deaths — Israel’s military said an initial assessment showed the hostages had been killed by Hamas shortly before being found — put into focus the stark divisions within Israel over the war.
Many hostage families and their supporters have called for a deal with Hamas without delay, even if it leaves the group intact. Mr. Netanyahu and his allies have said a bad deal with Hamas could put Israel’s long-term security at risk.
Hamas has demanded a complete withdrawal from Gaza, including the spit of land along the border of Egypt and Gaza known as the Philadelphi Corridor. It's a primary pipeline for Hamas to bring weapons into Gaza and Netanyahu is refusing to give it up.
This led to a reported shouting match at a security cabinet meeting on Thursday with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Gallant doesn't think the corridor is an important enough point to hold up the release of the hostages.
“In the name of the state of Israel, I hold their families close to my heart and ask forgiveness,” Gallant said Sunday after the remains were recovered. Gallant called on the cabinet to reverse its decision on the corridor.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid accused Netanyahu of turning his back on the hostages.
“They were alive,” he said in a video statement. “Netanyahu and the cabinet of death decided not to save them. There still are living hostages there, and it’s still possible to do a deal. Netanyahu isn’t doing it for political reasons.”
Are there still "living hostages" being held by Hamas? The terrorists still refuse to supply the names of hostages or their physical condition.
Netanyahu's coalition may be shaky but there's not much chance it will collapse after the brutal slaying of Israeli citizens. The Israeli people are war-weary but despite the desire of many for a ceasefire under almost any conditions, Netanyahu remains firmly opposed to a deal that doesn't include his primary war aim of the destruction of Hamas.
Hamas is in no hurry to make a deal now. They can sit back and watch Israeli society tear itself apart with backbiting and recriminations. If there are any hostages left alive, they won't be released any time soon.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member