Israel has confirmed the deaths of six extra hostages taken within the 7 October assault by Hamas after the captives’ our bodies have been present in a Gaza tunnel throughout army operations there.
The Israeli army (IDF) stated it had positioned and recovered the our bodies of Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, and Grasp Sergeant Ori Danino on Saturday from an underground tunnel within the Rafah space within the Gaza Strip and returned them to Israeli territory.
“They were all taken hostage on October 7th and were murdered by the Hamas terrorist organisation in the Gaza Strip,” stated an IDF assertion. “Following an identification procedure carried out by the National Institute of Forensic Medicine, the Israel police, and the IDF military rabbinate, the IDF manpower directorate’s hostage team, which is responsible for accompanying the families of the hostages, notified their families.
“The IDF and ISA send their heartfelt condolences to the families. The IDF and Israeli security forces are operating with all means to bring home all the hostages as fast as possible.”
Household of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an Israeli-American, had just a few hours earlier confirmed his demise after Israel initially introduced the invention of as-yet unidentified our bodies throughout fight.
The US president, Joe Biden, adopted up the household’s announcement with an announcement saying the physique of Goldberg-Polin was amongst six recovered in Gaza.
“Earlier today, in a tunnel under the city of Rafah, Israeli forces recovered six bodies of hostages held by Hamas,” Biden stated. “We have now confirmed that one of the hostages … was an American citizen, Hersh Goldberg-Polin.”
Biden, who had met with Goldberg-Polin’s mother and father, stated he was “devastated and outraged”.
“It is as tragic as it is reprehensible,” he stated. “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.”
The household issued their assertion early on Sunday. “With broken hearts, the Goldberg-Polin family is devastated to announce the death of their beloved son and brother, Hersh,” it stated. “The family thanks you all for your love and support and asks for privacy at this time.”
Goldberg-Polin was one of many best-known hostages as his mother and father had met with world leaders and pressed relentlessly for his or her assist. Final month, they addressed the Democratic conference, the place the gang chanted: “Bring them home.”
At the least 40,691 Palestinians have been killed and 94,060 injured in Israel’s army offensive within the Gaza Strip since 7 October, the Palestinian territory’s well being ministry stated in an announcement on Saturday. The warfare was triggered when the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 folks and taking about 250 hostages, based on Israeli tallies.
On Saturday, clashes broke out between Israeli troops and Palestinian fighters within the occupied West Financial institution as Israel pushed forward with a army operation within the flashpoint metropolis of Jenin. Tons of of Israeli troops have been finishing up raids since Wednesday in one in all their largest actions within the West Financial institution in months.
Biden, chatting with reporters in Rehoboth Seashore, Delaware, stated he was “still optimistic” a couple of ceasefire. “I think we’re on the verge of having an agreement,” he stated. “It’s time this war ended.”
“People are continuing to meet … We think we can close the deal, they’ve all said they agree on the principles.”
With Reuters, the Related Press and Agence France-Presse
