Hersh Goldberg Polin was one of the Israeli-Americans taken hostage by Hamas from the Nova Music Festival during the group’s attack in Israel on October 7. Initially, the attackers released a video of Hersh Goldberg Polin with several injuries, giving hopes of his survival to his family, but the recent discovery of his body proved otherwise.
During the music festival, Polin, his friend Aner Shapira, and others took refuge in a field shelter while Hamas reportedly threw several grenades their way.
Moreover, Sharpira threw seven of the grenades back before she died, and Polin lost one of his arms during the attack, as revealed in a shocking video.
The clip taken by one of the Hamas soldiers and later released by CNN’s Anderson Cooper showcased the 23-year-old being ushered into a truck, with bone protruding from his body, as the group shouted, “Load them, load them. Don’t shoot. Look at that one.“
Hamas release new propaganda video featuring an Israeli-American hostage, held captive for the last 200 days.
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) April 24, 2024
Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, appears in the video looking frail with just one arm.
His arm was blown off my Hamas on Oct 7th as they threw grenades into a rocket shelter… pic.twitter.com/MKNtsyVM8s
Likewise, the following video showed Hamas soldiers taking Hersh Goldberg Polin to a different location. After 200 days of his capture, the soldiers released a new clip on Telegram featuring the hostage as he appeared with one arm.
In the recent release, Polin looked frail while he addressed his family, saying, “I know you’re doing your best to get me home as soon as possible. I want you to stay strong for me and not stop until we all return home in peace.“
However, on August 30, 2024, authorities found Polin’s body along with six other hostages in tunnels under Gaza, sparking nationwide outrage over the safety of the remaining captives.
Parents of Hersh Goldberg Polin broke down at the DNC event, followed by a protest at the Gaza borders!
After Polin’s capture, his parents, Rachel and Jon, delivered an emotional speech at the DNC Chicago event, painting a vivid picture of the horrors that the captives had to go through.
Likewise, Rachel shared details about her son, including his favorite music, football, and his sense of humor. She urged an immediate agreement to minimize the conflict in the Middle East.
Nearing the end of their speech, Polin’s father added, “Hersh, if you can hear us, we love you. Stay strong, survive. Bring them home,” as the audience rose to their feet for a standing ovation for the grieving parents.
A scream that should pierce your heart.
— Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) August 29, 2024
The parents of hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin stood at the border of Gaza today and screamed to their son, praying he might hear them. pic.twitter.com/6Q1UkPtK4c
Now, after his death, the American and Israeli governments and citizens have alerted others about the remaining hostages and their safety, increasing military pressure to bring them back home.
As the news of hostage deaths piles up, locals have criticized Netanyahu for failing to strike a ceasefire deal with Hamas, even after 11 months of the initial conflict between the groups.
Additionally, President Joe Biden, who spent time with Polin’s parents, expressed his devastation and outrage towards the situation, claiming, “Make no mistake, Hamas leaders will pay for these crimes. And we will keep working around the clock for a deal.“
On October 7, 2023, Hamas took around 250 hostages, and one-third of them have already died. Meanwhile, as their response, the Israeli forces have killed over 40,000 Palestinians while displacing the majority of Gaza’s population.
Additional Information
- Hersh Goldberg Polin was born in Berkeley, California, and later lived in Richmond, Virginia. At age 7, his family immigrated to Israel, where he completed his services and served in the Israel Defense Forces.
- He had been working for an initiative to bring Israeli and Palestinian children through football, planning a world tour before his capture.
- Polin’s mother, Rachel, has been named to Time Magazine’s most influential people list this year following her active campaign for hostages.
