The Israeli military declared on Sunday that they have retrieved the corpses of six hostages from a subterranean passage in the southern part of Gaza, alleging they were callously killed by Hamas terrorists a short while before they could reach them. “In our preliminary assessment, we concluded that they fell victim to the hands of Hamas insurgents shortly before our arrival,” Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari informed the press.
Earlier in the week, Qaid Farhan Alkadi, affiliated with the Bedouin tribe in southern Israel, was liberated around one kilometre from the area, as stated by the Israeli armed forces.
The Israeli forces announced that the remains of Carmel Gat, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, and Ori Danino were transported back to Israel. These six individuals were amongst the 251 seized in the attack on October 7th, of which 97 remain in Hamas custody in Gaza, with 33 confirmed dead by the Israeli military.
President of the USA, Joe Biden – actively monitoring the hostage situation from the 7th October – noted with dismay that the deceased were inclusive of Israeli-American Goldberg-Polin. “I’m profoundly saddened and infuriated,” declared Biden in an official White House press release.
Israeli soldiers were advised to proceed with caution following Alkadi’s discovery, as there was a possibility of additional hostages in the vicinity. However, no exact details regarding the hostages’ whereabouts was available, as indicated by Hagari. No immediate response came from Hamas or its militant faction concerning the allegations.
The recoupment of the six bodies has triggered demands for large-scale protests against Israeli Premier Binyamin Netanyahu. Many kin of the hostages and the broad Israeli public hold him culpable for not securing their return alive in negotiations with Hamas to end the near year-long conflict. Such talks have continued for months.
Netanyahu has maintained an unyielding stance in the discussions, repeatedly insisting that military action is imperative to recover the hostages. As per reports by Israeli press, he has clashed with senior security officials who advocate for an immediate agreement.
According to a Saturday report from the Gaza Strip’s health ministry, Israel’s offensive has resulted in at least 40,691 Palestinian fatalities and 94,060 injuries since October 7th.
On Saturday, Israeli soldiers and Palestinian combatants were embroiled in tensions in the contested West Bank, as Israel moved forward with a military intervention in the highly sensitive city of Jenin. This military action, which began on Wednesday and involved hundreds of Israeli soldiers, is one of the significant operations in the West Bank in recent times.
Israeli press divulged on Sunday that a vehicle close to Hebron city in the contested West Bank was targeted, resulting in the death of at least two Israelis. This incident was later corroborated by military officials who revealed that the shooting had left three people injured and that a manhunt was underway for the culprits.
A video surfaced in April, presented by Hamas, where Goldberg-Polin, who was taken hostage at a music gathering near Gaza, appeared. US President Joe Biden spoke of him, highlighting that the young man, now 23, had world travel plans. Biden lauded the resilience of his parents, Rachel Goldberg and Jon Polin, amid the suffering they’ve been going through.
Biden declared the need for Hamas leaders to face accountability for their deeds, promising to work non-stop towards negotiating the release of remaining captives. He expressed profound admiration and empathy for the bereaved parents, stating their son, and all other hostages, deserved better.
A statement from the Vice President, Kamala Harris, slammed the continuous harshness of Hamas, urging the world to follow suit. The Democrat candidate aiming to succeed Biden, reaffirmed her unwavering determination along with Biden to see to the liberation of all American citizens and others held captive in Gaza.
At a press briefing in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, President Biden asserted his enduring hopefulness about reach an armistice to end the turmoil. He believed that a consensus was near and that the time was ripe to cease the conflict. He also added that negotiations were ongoing, expressing optimism that a unanimous agreement, based on the guiding principles, was achievable. Reports from Reuters and the Guardian contributed additional information to this story.