In a chilling revelation, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have discovered the bodies of six hostages, including an American citizen, in a tunnel beneath the Gazan city of Rafah.
The victims were reportedly shot multiple times at close range, suggesting a brutal execution that took place 48 to 72 hours prior to their discovery.
According to The Post Millennial, the Israeli Health Ministry, based on an examination conducted by the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute, stated that the executions likely occurred on Thursday or Friday. IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, in a press conference, confirmed that the hostages were "brutally murdered" by Hamas terrorists shortly before the IDF's arrival. He stated, "According to an initial assessment they were brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists a short while before we reached them. They were abducted alive on the morning of October 7 by the Hamas terror group.
The victims have been identified as Eden Yerushalmi (24), Carmel Gat (39), Almog Sarusi (26), Alex Lubnov (32), Ori Danino (25), and American Hersh Goldberg-Polin (23). The latter's parents had previously addressed his plight at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago last month.
The bodies were discovered in a tunnel complex approximately 20 meters underground, a mere kilometer from where 52-year-old hostage Kaid Farhan al-Alkadi was rescued last week. Following his rescue, the IDF issued instructions for heightened caution in the area, and a media blackout was imposed to protect intelligence that could lead to the location of other hostages.
Channel 12 reported that the Hamas terrorists likely executed the six hostages in anticipation of an IDF rescue operation. The fear was that the hostages, if rescued alive, might reveal details about the location of other captives.
The IDF's incursion into Rafah, the last remaining Hamas stronghold in Gaza, was met with opposition from President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Biden had previously warned that he would consider placing conditions on future military aid to Israel if it proceeded with a Rafah offensive, labeling such an incursion a "red line." Harris echoed this sentiment, stating in an ABC interview that Israel would face consequences for entering Rafah.
IDF International Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani revealed that of the 251 hostages abducted by Palestinian terrorists on October 7, 2023, 101 remain captive in Gaza. This includes the bodies of at least 33 hostages confirmed dead by the IDF.
During a weeklong ceasefire in November, Hamas released 105 civilians in exchange for hundreds of terrorists. Prior to this, four hostages had been released, and eight have been rescued alive. The IDF has also recovered the bodies of 37 hostages.
Hamas continues to hold two Israeli civilians who entered the Gaza Strip in 2014 and 2015, as well as the bodies of two IDF soldiers killed in 2014. This ongoing crisis underscores the urgent need for a resolution that respects individual freedom and the sanctity of life, principles that are at the heart of conservative values.
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