By Ari Rabinovitch and Stephanie Kelly
JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israel recovered the our bodies of six hostages from a tunnel in southern Gaza the place they have been apparently killed not lengthy earlier than Israeli troops reached them, the army mentioned on Sunday.
“According to our initial estimation, they were brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists a short time before we reached them,” army spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari informed reporters in a briefing.
The our bodies of Carmel Gat, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi and Ori Danino had been discovered underground within the metropolis of Rafah and returned to Israel, he mentioned.
“The heart of an entire nation is shattered to pieces,” mentioned President Isaac Herzog, whose publish is essentially ceremonial. “I embrace their families with all my heart, and apologize for failing to bring them home safely.”
There was no fast remark from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who’s underneath stress at dwelling and overseas to succeed in a ceasefire deal that features the discharge of remaining hostages.
Hamas didn’t instantly touch upon the accusations.
U.S. President Joe Biden, who has carefully adopted the destiny of the hostages seized on Oct. 7, mentioned the six included Israeli American Goldberg-Polin.
“I am devastated and outraged,” Biden mentioned in a press release issued by the White Home.
Days earlier, hostage Qaid Farhan Alkadi, a member of the Bedouin group in southern Israel, was rescued a couple of kilometre away, Israel’s Hagari mentioned.
After Alkadi was situated, troops have been informed to be cautious as a result of different hostages may be within the space, however there had been no exact info on their location, he mentioned.
The six recovered our bodies have been from about 250 hostages taken in Hamas’ killing spree by southern Israel on Oct. 7 that sparked the struggle in Gaza. About 1,200 individuals have been killed within the assault, based on Israeli tallies.
Since then, at the very least 40,691 Palestinians have been killed and 94,060 injured in Israel’s army offensive in Gaza, the enclave’s well being ministry mentioned in a press release on Saturday.
Sunday’s information was more likely to spur additional protests by Israelis demanding a hostage launch deal.
Goldberg-Polin, captured at a music pageant close to Gaza, appeared in a video launched by Hamas in late April.
“He had just turned 23. He planned to travel the world,” Biden mentioned. His mother and father, Rachel Goldberg and Jon Polin, “have been courageous, wise, and steadfast, even as they have endured the unimaginable,” he mentioned.
“They have been relentless and irrepressible champions of their son and of all the hostages held in unconscionable conditions. I admire them and grieve with them more deeply than words can express,” the president mentioned.
Biden vowed that “Hamas leaders will pay for these crimes. And we will keep working around the clock for a deal to secure the release of the remaining hostages.”
Vice President Kamala Harris mentioned in a press release, “I strongly condemn Hamas’ continued brutality, and so must the entire world.” Harris, the Democratic candidate operating to succeed Biden, mentioned she and he would by no means waver of their dedication to free the Individuals and all these held hostage in Gaza.
Earlier, chatting with reporters in Rehoboth Seaside, Delaware, Biden mentioned he was “still optimistic” a couple of ceasefire deal to cease the battle.
“I think we’re on the verge of having an agreement,” he mentioned. “It’s time this war ended.”
Biden added that “people are continuing to meet.”
“We think we can close the deal, they’ve all said they agree on the principles.”
