Israel’s military says six hostages ‘brutally murdered’ in Gaza, including Israeli-American Goldberg-Polin

Alex Stambaugh, Nectar Gan and Jeremy Diamond, CNN

TEL AVIV (CNN) — Israel’s subject said it has recovered nan bodies of six hostages killed by Hamas militants successful Gaza – including an Israeli-American captive – dealing caller heartbreak to relatives who fearfulness clip is moving retired for loved ones seized by nan militants much than 10 months ago.

Israeli soldiers recovered nan six bodies successful tunnels nether nan enclave, according to nan military. The hostages were “brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists, a short while earlier we reached them,” Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said successful a briefing Sunday.

The improvement has sparked protests crossed Israel, pinch caller nationalist anger directed astatine Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his furniture for failing to unafraid a hostage deal. Israel’s largest waste and acquisition national has besides called for a nationwide onslaught starting Monday.

Three of nan six whose bodies were recovered had been expected to beryllium released during nan first shape of an eventual ceasefire agreement, 2 Israeli officials person told CNN.

Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi and Carmel Gat were slated to beryllium released arsenic portion of a “humanitarian category,” based connected a model agreed by Israel and Hamas successful early July, nan officials said.

“Our premier curate delayed it,” 1 of nan Israeli officials said. “It’s measurement excessively precocious for nan six who person been killed, but it’s clip to scope an agreement.”

The ordeal of California autochthonal Goldberg-Polin, who was taken astatine gunpoint astatine nan Nova euphony show connected October 7, led to him becoming 1 of nan faces of the devastating world hostage crisis that has challenged Netanyahu’s activity and triggered wide demolition successful Gaza.

The parents of 23-year-old Goldberg-Polin have been among nan astir vocal of nan hostage families pushing Netanyahu to activity a woody securing their relatives’ return. Their tireless and high-profile campaigning saw them meet pinch world leaders, and earlier this month, springiness an affectional reside astatine nan Democratic National Convention successful Chicago.

“With surgery hearts, nan Goldberg-Polin family is devastated to denote nan decease of their beloved boy and brother, Hersh. The family acknowledgment you each for your emotion and support and asks for privateness astatine this time,” nan family said successful a connection Sunday.

The Israeli subject named nan different 3 victims arsenic Almog Sarusi, Alex Lobanov and Ori Danino. CNN is reaching retired to their families.

In a taped connection Sunday, Netanyahu said he had been shocked to nan halfway by what he said was “the unspeakable cold-blooded execution of six of our hostages.” He besides stressed that “those who execution hostages do not want a deal.”

He said Israel would proceed to prosecute Hamas, and accused it of not wanting to behaviour genuine negotiations since December.

“Three months ago, connected May 27, Israel agreed to a hostage merchandise woody pinch nan afloat backing of nan United States. Hamas refused. Even aft nan United States updated nan outline of nan woody connected August 16 – we agreed, and Hamas again refused.”

He added that nan Israeli authorities and he, personally, are “committed to proceed moving towards a woody that will bring backmost each our hostages and guarantee our information and existence.”

In response, nan Hostages Families Forum, a volunteer-based statement that represents relatives of those held captive, criticized nan Prime Minister, calling connected him to “stop blaming everyone” and to “take responsibility” for his alleged failures.

“Take work for nan thwarting (of a deal). Take work for nan neglect. Take work for nan hostages who were murdered successful captivity,” nan Forum demanded successful a statement.

The Forum besides said Netanyahu had ignored nan views of nan information constitution successful insisting connected conditions successful nan negotiations.

“Hamas is not nan only 1 responsible for nan thwarting of nan deal. We do not expect nan violent (Hamas leader Yahya) Sinwar to want to return nan hostages, we expect nan Prime Minister of Israel to do everything, everything, everything successful bid to return nan hostages home.”

The Forum has called for demonstrations crossed Israel, while besides announcing a vigil honoring nan “hostages murdered successful Gaza by Hamas” successful Tel Aviv astatine 6 p.m. section clip (11 a.m. ET).

US President Joe Biden said nan bodies of nan hostages were recovered nether nan metropolis of Rafah successful confederate Gaza.

“I americium devastated and outraged,” Biden said successful a connection released by nan White House that besides paid tribute to Goldberg-Polin’s parents.

“They person been courageous, wise, and steadfast, moreover arsenic they person endured nan unimaginable,” Biden said. “They person been relentless and irrepressible champions of their boy and of each nan hostages held successful unconscionable conditions.”

‘Anguish and misery’

Goldberg-Polin’s decease successful peculiar will resound not conscionable successful Israel but successful US governmental circles.

His parents Rachel and Jonathan person regularly met apical US officials successful Washington to property nan lawsuit of nan hostages, and their affectional reside to apical Democrats astatine nan normal earlier this period inextricably tied nan hostages’ destiny to US argumentation complete nan warfare successful Gaza.

Rachel Goldberg-Polin told CNN successful January that she wears a portion of portion marking each time that has passed since her boy was kidnapped.

At her normal speech, she described life since October 7 arsenic for illustration surviving connected “another planet.”

“Anyone who is simply a genitor aliases has had a genitor tin effort to ideate nan anguish and misery that Jon and I and each nan hostage families are enduring,” she told delegates.

Some of those discovered dormant successful nan tunnels nether Gaza this play were, for illustration Goldberg-Polin, captured astatine nan Nova euphony festival. Lobanov, a 32-year-old begetter of two, and Yerushalmi, 24, were some tending barroom astatine nan gathering, according to nan Hostages Families Forum. Danino, 25, and Sarusi, 27, were besides astatine nan festival.

Gat, 40, was taken from Kibbutz Be’eri. She had been visiting her parents erstwhile Hamas militants stormed nan organization adjacent to Gaza’s border, sidesplitting and taking hostages arsenic they went.

Anger successful Israel

News of much hostage deaths piles unit connected Netanyahu arsenic anger wrong Israel swells complete nan nonaccomplishment to onslaught a ceasefire deal, and arsenic stark disagreements betwixt nan premier curate and his subject leaders progressively spill retired into nan open.

A number of protests sparked crossed Israel connected Sunday, pinch demonstrators’ anger directed astatine nan government’s handling of nan crisis.

Protests person occurred aliases are ongoing successful Tel Aviv, Ra’anana, Rehovot and Be’er Sheva. In respective instances, protesters person blocked roads – demanding an contiguous statement to unafraid nan remaining hostages’ release. The banner astatine 1 protestation read: “Look them successful nan eyes.”

Demonstrators assistance placards and flags during a protestation calling for nan merchandise of Israelis held hostage by Hamas militants, successful Tel Aviv, Israel connected August 31. | Jack Guez, AFP/Getty Images via CNN Newsource

The president of Israel’s General Federation of Labor (Histadrut) Arnon Bar-David has besides called for a nationwide wide onslaught to statesman connected Monday astatine 6 a.m. section time, aft holding a “charged and difficult” gathering pinch representatives of hostage families successful Tel Aviv.

“I will not tolerate nan neglect,” Bar-David stated, emphasizing nan urgency of nan business of nan hostages successful Gaza. Histadrut is nan country’s biggest labour union.

“We are successful a downward spiral, and we don’t extremity receiving assemblage bags. Only a onslaught would shock, and that’s why I’ve decided that starting tomorrow astatine six successful nan morning, nan full Israeli system will unopen down,” nan labour leader said.

The hostage deaths up nan stakes for Biden to push US ally Israel to find a measurement retired of a devastating warfare successful Gaza that has inflamed world nationalist sentiment and many times threatened to spiral into an all-out location conflict.

“Make nary mistake, Hamas leaders will salary for these crimes. And we will support moving astir nan timepiece for a woody to unafraid nan merchandise of nan remaining hostages,” Biden said successful his connection connected Goldberg-Polin’s death.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said “the bosom of an full federation is shattered to pieces” by nan news of nan six dead.

“On behalf of nan State of Israel, I clasp their families pinch each my heart, and apologize for failing to bring them location safely,” Herzog said successful a statement.

“We will proceed to conflict relentlessly against nan criminal, violent statement Hamas, which has erstwhile again proven location is nary extremity to its willingness to perpetrate execution and crimes against humanity.”

Israel launched its warfare against Hamas successful Gaza aft nan militant group’s October 7 cross-border attacks, successful which much than 1,200 Israelis were killed and 250 taken hostage, according to Israeli authorities.

More than 40,000 Palestinians person been killed successful Gaza since nan warfare began, according to nan wellness ministry successful nan enclave.

Anger has been increasing wrong Israel, led by galore hostage families who judge Netanyahu and cardinal far-right furniture colleagues person been stalling connected achieving a ceasefire solution pinch Hamas that mightiness bring those captured and killed home.

Netanyahu has been adamant that a woody tin only beryllium signed erstwhile Israel’s information is assured.

But home unit is building, pinch nan Hostages Families Forum being among nan astir captious of nan Israeli premier minister.

“The hold successful signing nan woody has led to their deaths and those of galore different hostages,” nan forum said successful a connection successful English connected Sunday.

“We telephone to Netanyahu: Stop hiding. Provide nan nationalist pinch a justification for this ongoing abandonment,” nan forum added.

Biden said Saturday evening that his unit has been successful touch pinch Israeli officials. Biden besides called for an extremity to nan war, expressing optimism that an statement could beryllium reached connected a ceasefire-for-hostages woody and adding that parties progressive successful nan speech person said they “agree connected nan principles.”

“It’s clip this warfare ended,” Biden added. “I deliberation we’re connected nan verge of having an agreement. It’s clip to extremity it. It’s clip to decorativeness it.”

The US, Qatar and Egypt, who person acted arsenic mediators, this period renewed a push to scope a hostage and ceasefire woody betwixt Israel and Hamas.

The mediators person projected a three-phase approach: a first shape involving a six-week ceasefire; a 2nd shape that would merchandise each hostages and a withdrawal of each IDF beingness from Gaza; and a 3rd reconstruction phase.

This communicative has been updated.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All authorities reserved.

People show against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s authorities and to telephone for nan merchandise of hostages successful Gaza, successful Tel Aviv, Israel, connected August 31. | Florion Goga/Reuters via CNN Newsource