In the early hours of Sunday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the grim recovery of six more hostages from Gaza, including Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin.
The 23-year-old Goldberg-Polin, whose parents addressed the Democratic National Convention in August, was found alongside Israelis Carmel Gat, 40; Eden Yerushalmi, 24; Alexander Lobanov, 32; Almog Sarusi, 27; and Ori Danino, 25. The IDF revealed that these hostages were brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists "shortly before" their bodies were retrieved from a tunnel in Rafah, a city in Gaza.
According to RedState, the tragic news sparked widespread outrage and grief across Israel, with the public holding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accountable for the loss. The Prime Minister extended his apologies to the bereaved families amidst nationwide protests against his leadership. Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai announced his city's participation in a massive general strike planned for Monday, expressing solidarity with the victims and their families. Huldai stated, "As a sign of solidarity with the abductees and their families, the municipality of Tel Aviv-Jaffa joins the strike. Tomorrow, starting in the morning until noon, there will be no public reception and we will allow all female and male employees to go out and support the families struggle. Take to the streets."
The families of the hostages, who have long accused Netanyahu of prioritizing his political survival and victory against Hamas over securing their loved ones' safe return, demanded that he address the nation. In response, Netanyahu's office released a prerecorded video statement in which he condemned Hamas's atrocities but took no questions from the public. He stated, "The fact that Hamas continues to commit atrocities like the ones it committed on the seventh of October obliges us to do everything so that it cannot commit these atrocities again."
In the 11 months since their violent abduction from a music festival and a nearby kibbutz in southern Israel, the IDF had classified the six hostages as alive and had a general assessment of their location. At least four of them, including Goldberg-Polin, were believed to be on the list of hostages who would be released if ongoing U.S.-brokered negotiations resulted in a cease-fire.
Arnon Bar-David, the head of the Histadrut labor union, Israel's largest union, called for a general strike on Monday, expressing his concern over the country's economic neglect. He stated, "The neglect of the economy must be stopped. Israel must be returned to a reasonable routine... We must reach a deal. A deal is more important than anything else. We are getting body bags instead of a deal."
Opposition leader Yair Lapid criticized Netanyahu directly, asserting that the deaths could have been prevented by a deal. He said, "Instead of saving lives, hostages are being buried. Instead of doing everything to bring them home, Netanyahu is doing all he can to stay in power."
The Goldberg-Polin family released a statement expressing their devastation over the loss of their beloved son and brother, Hersh. They thanked everyone for their love and support and requested privacy during this difficult time.
The tragic murder of these innocent hostages by Hamas is a heartbreaking reminder of the ongoing conflict. It will be intriguing to observe the reaction of American leftists, including those who protested during the four days of the DNC in Chicago, against the Biden-Harris administration's lukewarm support of Israel's continuing war against the terrorist organization.
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