Hostages ‘murdered shortly before we arrived,’ says Israel
Israel confirmed on Sunday morning it had recovered and identified the bodies of six hostages from a tunnel in Rafah.
The six Israeli hostages recovered on Aug. 31, 2024. Clockwise from top left: Ori Danino, Alex Labonov, Carmet Gat, Almog Sarusi, Eden Yerushalmi, and Hersch Goldberg-Polin. Photos courtesy the families.
“According to the current assessment, they were murdered by Hamas terrorists shortly before we arrived,” said Israel Defense Forces Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari.
The bodies were found about one kilometre from where Farhan Al-Qadi was rescued alive on Aug. 27.
“Since Farhan was found, the soldiers have been given additional instructions to operate even more cautiously and carefully than usual, understanding that there may be other hostages in the area. We did not have precise information about the hostages’ location,” Hagari said.
The Hostages Families Forum said the six “could have been reunited with their families if a deal had been reached earlier.”
The six were identified as Hersch Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Almog Sarusi, Alex Labonov, Ori Danino and Carmel Gat.
Hersch Goldberg-Polin, 23, was a dual US-Israeli citizen abducted from the Nova Music Festival at Kibbutz Re’im. A resident of Jerusalem, Goldberg-Polin’s parents spoke at the Democratic National Convention.
Reacting to the news of Goldberg-Polin’s death, US President Joe Biden said he was “devastated and outraged.”
“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,” said Biden.
Eden Yerushalmi was also abducted at the Nova festival. The 24-year-old bartender from Tel Aviv was on the phone with her sister, Shani, hiding in bushes. The last words heard from Eden before her phone went dead were, “Shani, they caught me.”
Almog Sarusi, 26, of Ra’anana, was abducted at the Nova Music Festival. A light and sound technician, he was taken captive while trying to save his mortally injured girlfriend.
Alex Labonov was managing the bar at the Nova festival. He is survived by a wife and two sons, one of whom was born while he was in captivity.
Ori Danino and a friend were helping people escape the music festival, filling their cars with as many people as they could. He was last seen driving back to the festival to try to rescue more people. The 25-year-old resident of Givat Ze’ev was engaged to be married.
Carmel Gat was an occupational therapist from Tel Aviv who was visiting her parents in Kibbutz Be’eri. The 39-year-old was planning to begin studies for a master’s degree in occupational therapy.
Israel’s president Isaac Herzog tweeted on X: “The heart of an entire nation is shattered to pieces with the news of the murder of Ori Danino, Carmel Gat, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alexander Lonanov, Almog Sarusi, and Eden Yerushalmi, whose bodies were brought back from Gaza in a military operation.
On behalf of the State of Israel, I embrace their families with all my heart, and apologize for failing to bring them home safely.
We will continue to fight relentlessly against the criminal, terrorist organization Hamas, which has once again proven there is no end to its willingness to commit murder and crimes against humanity.
The blood of our brothers cries out to us. Our sisters and brothers are still there enduring Hell. The supreme covenant between the state and its citizens is to ensure their safety. We have the sacred and urgent mission to bring them home.”
President Joe Biden said: “I am devastated and outraged.” Hersh Goldberg-Polin was a U.S. citizen.
Vice President Kamala Harris said in a statement she strongly condemned “Hamas’ continued brutality – and so must the entire world”.
Harris, the Democratic candidate running to succeed Biden, said she and he would never waver in their commitment to free the Americans and all those held hostage in Gaza.
At least 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 97 remaining hostages, more than 30 have been declared dead. Hamas has also been holding captive two Israeli civilians since 2014 and 2015, and the bodies of two soldiers killed in 2014.”
Two Israelis were killed and another wounded in a drive-by shooting near Hebron on Sunday morning.
Terrorists in a vehicle fired on a car on Route 35 near the Tarqumiyah checkpoint in the Hebron area. Security forces are in pursuit.
