Released video says half of hostages dead
| Published date | 26 April 2024 |
| Publication title | New Zealand Herald, The (Auckland, New Zealand) |
Ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas that would have included a hostage swap and pause in fighting have collapsed.
The video was released as Israel is preparing to move Palestinian civilians out of Rafah ahead of a major offensive. Hamas has warned that an attack would risk the lives of more hostages.
Goldberg-Polin, born in California, was kidnapped from the Supernova festival, where he lost an arm in a grenade attack. The video was likely made under duress, and Goldberg-Polin appeared sickly, pale and thin as he read at least part of his statement from a teleprompter.
It was not clear when the video was recorded but it appears to have been very recent as Goldberg-Polin spoke about 200 days of captivity, which he would have marked earlier this week, and the festival of Passover, which began on Monday evening. He spoke about living in “underground hell without water, food, sun or medical treatment”.
He said at least 70 of the remaining 130 or so hostages had been killed in Gaza in Israeli bombings, likely repeating a line given to him by his captors. Official Israeli estimates have put the number closer to 35.
A White House spokesman confirmed it had received the video, the first Hamas has publicly released of a US hostage. An official said the FBI and hostage rescue experts have been analysing the footage.
Goldberg-Polin, whose family has been one of the most active advocates of a hostage deal with Hamas, said Benjamin Netanyahu and his government “should be ashamed of themselves” for not stopping the war in Gaza.
Goldberg-Polin told his parents in the video “I love you and I miss you so much” and wished them a happy Passover.
His family have mounted a campaign pushing for his release, with posters showing him smiling and displaying the slogan “Bring Hersch home” often seen on the walls of Israeli towns.
A group representing the families of some of the hostages said yesterday the family had agreed for the media to use the video which they said underlined their son’s plight.
“Hersh’s cry is the collective cry of all the hostages — their time is rapidly running out,” the group said. “We cannot afford to waste any more time; the hostages must be the top priority.”
Hamas has repeatedly said that it is not aware of the whereabouts of all 133 hostages who are currently in captivity in Gaza as some of them were abducted...
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