Israeli American Hersh Goldberg-Polin among six hostages found dead in Gaza

Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an Israeli American taken hostage successful the Oct. 7 Hamas panic attacks, is among six hostages whose bodies were recovered Saturday.

"With breached hearts, the Goldberg-Polin household is devastated to denote the decease of their beloved lad and brother, Hersh. The household acknowledgment you each for your emotion and enactment and asks for privateness astatine this time," a household typical said.

President Joe Biden said the bodies of Goldberg-Polin and 5 different hostages held by Hamas were recovered successful a passageway nether Rafah.

"I americium devastated and outraged," Biden said successful the statement.

The Israel Defense Forces identified the hostages arsenic Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi and Master Sgt. Ori Danino.

It said the IDF and Shin Bet recovered the bodies from the passageway and brought them backmost to Israeli territory. It said each had been taken hostage connected Oct. 7 and murdered by Hamas successful the Gaza Strip.

"The IDF and ISA nonstop their heartfelt condolences to the families," it said. "The IDF and Israeli information forces are operating with each means to bring location each the hostages arsenic accelerated arsenic possible."

Goldberg-Polin, 23, was among those taken hostage during the onslaught connected the Supernova euphony festival successful the Israeli desert, and mislaid his limb successful a grenade blast.

His parents person been disposable and outspoken advocates for bringing the hostages home, including an impassioned plea for his merchandise during the Democratic National Convention

"They person been relentless and irrepressible champions of their lad and of each the hostages held successful unconscionable conditions. I respect them and grieve with them much profoundly than words tin express," Biden said. "Make nary mistake, Hamas leaders volition wage for these crimes. And we volition support moving astir the timepiece for a woody to unafraid the merchandise of the remaining hostages."

Earlier Saturday, Biden called for an extremity to the war.

"We should extremity this war," Biden said. "I deliberation we're connected the verge of having an agreement. And it's conscionable clip to extremity it. It's clip to decorativeness it."

Vice President Kamala Harris mourned Goldberg-Polin's death, staying successful a connection that her prayers are with his parents and "everyone who knew and loved Hersh." She besides powerfully condemned Hamas, calling it "an evil violent organization" that present has "even much American humor connected its hands."

"The menace Hamas poses to the radical of Israel—and American citizens successful Israel—must beryllium eliminated and Hamas cannot power Gaza," she said successful the statement, which was successful her authoritative capableness arsenic vice president, not her statesmanlike campaign.

Messages of heartbreak and outrage from Biden medication officials and politicians began pouring successful precocious Saturday.

"Our hearts interruption for Jon, Rachel, and their full family, arsenic good arsenic the different families who recovered retired contiguous their loved ones won't beryllium coming home. May their representation beryllium a blessing," said Secretary of State Antony Blinken, invoking a operation Jews usage to mourn the dead.

Goldberg-Polin's parents, on with the families of different hostages, person relentlessly urged Netanyahu and the Israeli government, arsenic good arsenic the planetary community, to absorption connected the plight of their loved ones.

After Hamas' subject helping released video successful April of Goldberg-Polin successful captivity, his mother, Rachel Goldberg-Polin, said she believed Netanyahu's authorities should compromise to halt the suffering successful some Israel and Gaza.

In July, Goldberg-Polin's parents joined the families of different American hostages during Netanyahu's D.C. visit to again stock their message: Bring the hostages location now.

At the Democratic National Convention past week, his parents again pleaded for his return.

"Since then, we unrecorded connected different planet," said Rachel Goldberg-Polin astir her son's abduction. "Anyone who is simply a genitor oregon has had a genitor tin effort to ideate the anguish and misery that Jon and I and each the hostage families are enduring."

In a statement connected X, the Hostage and Missing Families Forum pointed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who it said "abandoned the abductees! This is present a fact."

"Starting time the state volition tremble. We telephone connected the nationalist to prepare. We are blocking the country," the connection said. The Forum said it volition stock much details Sunday morning.

Netanyahu faces mounting unit successful Israel and astir the satellite to scope a cease-fire deal with Hamas that would unafraid the merchandise of the hostages and extremity warring successful Gaza.

Over 1,200 radical were killed successful Israel and astir 250 others taken hostage during Hamas's Oct. 7 panic attack.

The devastation and humanitarian situation successful the Gaza Strip, wherever wellness officials said much than 40,000 radical person been killed successful Israel's subject offensive, has drawn planetary condemnation and isolated Netanyahu connected the planetary stage.

Around 100 hostages stay successful Hamas custody.

In the 10 months since the attack, immoderate hostages were released via diplomatic agreements, immoderate were rescued during IDF operations, and immoderate were killed oregon died successful captivity. The plight of the hostages has roiled Israeli society, sparking protests and choler that Netanyahu has not reached a cease-fire statement that would bring them home.

This is a developing story. Please cheque backmost for updates.