Israel-Hamas War: IDF recovers bodies of 6 Israeli hostages from Gaza

In the latest development to the Israel-Hamas war, Israel has tragically confirmed that it has recovered the bodies of 6 of its hostages from the Gaza Strip. These include – Alex Lobanov, Eden Yerushalmi, Almog Sarusi, Master Sgt Ori Danino, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Carmel Gat.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated they were brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists before they could reach. The IDF found their bodies on Saturday, Sept 31, in an underground tunnel in the Rafah area of southern Gaza.

They had been in captive since October 7 last year. Goldberg-Polin, Yerushalmi, Lobanov, Sarusi and Danino (an off-duty non-commissioned officer) were abducted from the Nova music festival near Kibbutz Re’im, while Gat was taken from Kibbutz Be’eri.

The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, express sorrow and heartbreak over this ‘cold-blooded’ killing. He also stated that whoever killed the hostages is not interested in any ceasefire deal. However, families of the victims and many Israelis in general are blaming PM Netanyahu for failing to bring the hostages home safely. For months now he has failed to negotiate with Hamas and seek the return of these captives at the earliest. People have asked him to take responsibility for abandoning the hostages.

The Israeli Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, sought ‘forgiveness’ from the Israeli people after bodies were recovered. He and Netanyahu are reportedly at odds with each other over the specifications of the ceasefire and hostage release deal and hold differing opinions, which as per media reports even led to a ‘shouting match’ last week during a Cabinet meeting.

Meanwhile, the Israeli President Isaac Herzog said the “heart of an entire nation is shattered to pieces with the news” of these killings.

The Hostages Families Forum noted that all the six hostages were murdered in the last few days after almost a year of surviving brutal abuse, torture, and starvation by Hamas. The group has called for a major protest on Sunday, Sept 1, and demanded that people in Israel come out of their homes in huge numbers to support a hostage exchange deal. Israel’s largest trade union, on the other hand, has called for a big protest on Monday.

Among the six found killed, is an Israeli-American, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who became one of the well-known hostages as his parents visited world leaders and pressed for his release even at the Democratic convention last month. US President Joe Biden and Vice President and Democratic Presidential nominee, Kamala Harris also expressed their condolences.