Bodies of 6 Israeli hostages recovered in Gaza, prompting protests and renewed calls for ceasefire
The Israeli military announced Saturday that it had recovered the bodies of six hostages, including that of an Israeli American.
The news prompted protests in Israel and renewed calls for a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict.
The hostages, who were reportedly found in a tunnel beneath Rafah, in southern Gaza, were among the 250 people taken hostage by Hamas during the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on southern Israel, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 Israelis. Over 40,000 Palestinians have reportedly died in the subsequent fighting in Gaza in response to the attacks.
Among the deceased was Israeli American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, whose parents spoke at the Democratic National Convention last month and have led efforts to secure the release of the hostages. Three of the deceased hostages were slated for release in an early phase of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, according to CNN.
Roughly 100 hostages remain in captivity, though the Israeli military said that dozens of them have already been killed.
Goldberg-Polin’s body was discovered alongside those of Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi and Ori Danino, all of whom were abducted during the Oct. 7 Nova music festival. A sixth victim, Carmel Gat, was taken from a nearby farming community, according to the Associated Press.
An autopsy concluded that the hostages were killed by short-range shots, according to the Israeli health ministry. They were reportedly killed just moments before they were discovered in a tunnel buried several dozen feet beneath the southern Gaza city of Rafah — half a mile from the tunnel where Israeli hostage, Farhan al-Qadi, was recovered alive last week. Hamas, however, reportedly claimed the six victims died from an airstrike using American-sponsored weapons.
Who were the 6 victims?
Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23
A native of Berkeley, Calif. who lost part of his arm during the Oct. 7 attack. His parents Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg have been prominent advocates for the hostages, having met with global leaders like President Biden and Pope Francis.
Eden Yerushalmi, 24
A Tel Aviv-born aspiring Pilates instructor who was working at the Nova music festival when she was captured.
Carmel Gat, 40
An occupational therapist from Tel Aviv who was kidnapped from Kibbutz Be’eri, where her parents were killed. She reportedly helped fellow captives through meditation and yoga.
Alexander Lobanov, 33
A married father of two who was abducted from the Nova festival, where he worked as a bar manager. He had reportedly helped others escape during the attack before being captured.
Almog Sarusi, 27
He was captured after staying with his wounded girlfriend during the festival attack, where she was killed.
Ori Danino, 25
The eldest of five children, Danino was reportedly kidnapped while helping others escape from the Nova festival.
Read more: Who were the 6 hostages whose bodies the Israeli military recovered from Gaza?
Strikes and protests planned in Israel to support hostages
Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai announced in a statement posted to social media that the city will participate in a nationwide strike on Monday to show solidarity with the families of hostages and that criticized the Israeli government, which he claimed “abandoned them.”
“The State of Israel is all of us,” he said. “As a gesture of support for the abductees and their families, the Tel Aviv-Jaffa municipality will join the strike. We will allow all employees to step out and stand with the families in their struggle. Take to the streets.”
Other municipalities, including Kfar Saba and Givatayim, are also suspending services in solidarity.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, an activist group representing many relatives of abductees held in Gaza, criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to NBC News, before urging Israelis to take part in Monday’s protest as a way to put pressure on the Cabinet and the prime minister for a ceasefire.
The forum organized two protests in Israel Sunday, according to NBC News, and will hold a vigil to honor those who’ve lost their lives in Gaza. At least 700,000 people attended demonstrations across Israel calling for a ceasefire and hostage deal, its organizers told CNN. An estimated 550,000 of them were in Tel Aviv alone.
Israel’s largest labor union will also participate in Monday’s strike, proclaiming that “a deal is more important than anything else.”
“Jews are being murdered in the tunnels of Gaza. It is impossible to grasp and has to stop,” Histadrut Labor Federation chief Arnon Bar-David said at a press conference on Sunday. “We are getting body bags instead of a deal. I have come to the conclusion that only our intervention might move those who need to be moved.”
“I call on the people of Israel to go out to the streets tonight and tomorrow and for everyone to take part in the strike,” added Bar-David, who said that decisions beyond Monday will be made at a later time.
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem said that it will shut down all activities on Monday, except for exams, according to CNN. One of the six hostages, Carmel Gat, was a graduate of the university, where she received a Master's degree in Occupational Therapy, the school shared in a post on X.
The families respond
The family of American Israeli hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin issued a brief statement in response to the news.
"With broken hearts, the Goldberg-Polin family is devastated to announce the death of their beloved son and brother, Hersh," the family reportedly said in a statement. "The family thanks you all for your love and support and asks for privacy at this time."
Gil Dickmann shared a heartfelt tribute to his cousin Carmel Gat, whose body was also recovered in Gaza.
“I'm so sorry, Carmeli. Sorry we didn’t act sooner when there was still a chance to save you. Sorry we let them take your life,” Dickmann wrote in a post on X. “I wish that in memory of you, in memory of the warrior of justice that you were, in memory of the life that you still had to live and that was taken from you by those who kidnapped you and by a government that decided that you could be given up.”
Netanyahu offers an apology
Netanyahu apologized to Oksana and Grigory Lobanov, the parents of victim Alexander Lobanov, expressing his “deep regret” that military forces were unable to rescue their son and the other hostages.
“I deeply regret and ask for forgiveness that we were not able to bring Sasha back alive,” he said, according to a statement released by his office.
Netanyahu also reportedly planned to reach out to the families of all the hostages whose bodies were recovered, although two families reportedly declined to take his calls.
Biden, Harris say Hamas will ‘pay for these crimes’
In a statement released on Saturday, President Joe Biden expressed deep sorrow and anger following the news, calling Goldberg-Polin “an innocent young man who was brutally attacked while attending a peace festival.”
He also praised his parents, who he spoke on the phone with, for their courage and determination since the attacks, acknowledging that they’ve been “relentless and irrepressible champions” of their son and the rest of the hostages amid the ongoing plans to have a ceasefire.
“Make no mistake, Hamas leaders will pay for these crimes," Biden vowed. “We will keep working around the clock for a deal to secure the release of the remaining hostages.”
Vice President Kamala Harris also condemned Hamas, describing the group as a “vile terrorist organization” responsible for shedding even more American blood.
“I strongly condemn Hamas’ continued brutality, and so must the entire world,” she said. “The threat Hamas poses to the people of Israel — and American citizens in Israel — must be eliminated and Hamas cannot control Gaza. The Palestinian people too have suffered under Hamas’ rule for nearly two decades.”
Harris later confirmed that she and her husband, Doug Emhoff, also spoke to Goldberg-Polin‘s parents Jon and Rachel to express “our condolences following the brutal murder of their son by Hamas terrorists.”
“I told them: As they mourn this terrible loss, they are not alone. Our nation mourns with them," she wrote in a statement shared on X.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, meanwhile, called the deaths “horrific and senseless” and said that a “ceasefire deal must be agreed by all sides immediately to end the suffering.”
Trump responds
In a statement first posted to Truth Social Sunday afternoon, former President Donald Trump said, "We grieve the senseless death of the Israeli Hostages, horrifically including a wonderful American Citizen, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, murdered by Hamas due to a complete lack of American Strength and Leadership."
Trump, the Republican nominee for president in the 2024 election, went on to blame the deaths of the six hostages on Biden and Harris, saying "They have blood on their hands!"
Hamas and Palestinian leaders blame Biden
On Sunday, Hamas official Izzat al-Rishq blamed the Biden administration for the six deaths, claiming that the United States is supporting a “war on genocide” due to the country’s “bias” for Israel.
“President Biden, if he is keen on saving their lives, must stop supporting this enemy with money and weapons and pressure the occupation to end its aggression immediately,” he said, according to the Jerusalem Post. “The one who will pay the price for these brutal crimes and the war of genocide against our people for eleven months is Netanyahu and his extremist government and all the supporters of this aggression.”
Palestinian lawmaker Mustafa Barghouti accused Netanyahu and his “extremist” government of rejecting a ceasefire and being responsible for escalating the crisis.
In a statement posted on X, Barghouti criticized the Israeli Prime Minister for rejecting a ceasefire and intensifying the conflict in the West Bank. He argued that Netanyahu is indifferent to the lives of both Israelis and Palestinians, focusing solely on avoiding personal accountability.
“Netanyahu does not care about the lives of anyone, including Israeli prisoners, and his only concern is saving himself from accountability,” he added.
Biden is still optimistic
President Biden expressed continued hope for a ceasefire, telling reporters in Delaware on Saturday that he remains “optimistic” about the possibility of ending the conflict.
“I think we’re on the verge of having an agreement,” he said, according to USA Today.
But Netanyahu seemed to suggest Sunday that a ceasefire was not within reach.
“In recent days, as Israel has been holding intensive negotiations with the mediator in a supreme effort to reach a deal, Hamas is continuing to steadfastly refuse all proposals. Even worse, at the exact same time, it murdered six of our hostages. Whoever murders hostages — does not want a deal.”
