Israeli American Hersh Goldberg-Polin was found dead in Gaza nearly 11 months after being taken hostage by Hamas. President Joe Biden confirmed that Goldberg-Polin was one of six hostages killed by Hamas, who were found in a tunnel under Rafah. Goldberg-Polin was attending a music festival in Israel when he was attacked by Hamas, losing his arm in the process. He was one of six hostages killed by Hamas, along with Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, and Master Sgt. Ori Danino.
Goldberg-Polin, who was a fan of the Hapoel Jerusalem basketball team, was born in the United States and moved to Israel with his family at a young age. His parents had been vocal in their efforts to bring him home, urging the Israeli government and international community to focus on the hostages’ plight. Video footage showed Goldberg-Polin being injured during the attack and later being loaded onto a truck headed to Gaza.
After a video of Goldberg-Polin was released by Hamas in April, his parents continued to advocate for his release, along with the families of other American hostages. They joined other hostage families during Netanyahu’s visit to the U.S. and pleaded for their loved ones’ return. Biden expressed his devastation at Goldberg-Pollin’s death and praised his parents for their relentless efforts to bring him home.
The terror attack on October 7 resulted in approximately 250 people being taken hostage, with over 1,200 killed in Israel and about 100 remaining in Hamas custody. Israel’s military offensive in response to the attack has resulted in over 40,000 deaths.
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