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(NewsNation) — The bodies of Hersh Goldberg-Polin and 5 different Israeli hostages taken by Hamas during the October 7th attacks are dead, President Joe Biden said successful a connection on Saturday.
"With breached hearts, the Goldberg-Polin household is devastated to denote the decease of their beloved lad and brother, Hersh. The household acknowledgment you each for your emotion and enactment and asks for privateness astatine this time," a spokesperson for the Goldberg-Polin household wrote.
On Saturday, Israel said it has discovered a fig of bodies successful Gaza during combat, and that its subject was carrying retired a process to extract and place the bodies, which volition instrumentality respective hours.
It asked that the nationalist refrain from spreading rumors arsenic to the identities of the bodies.
Earlier today, successful a passageway nether the metropolis of Rafah, Israeli forces recovered six bodies of hostages held by Hamas. We person present confirmed that 1 of the hostages killed by these vicious Hamas terrorists was an American citizen, Hersh Goldberg-Polin. I americium devastated and outraged. Hersh was among the innocents brutally attacked portion attending a euphony festival for bid successful Israel connected October 7. He mislaid his limb helping friends and strangers during Hamas’ savage massacre. He had conscionable turned 23. He planned to question the world. I person gotten to cognize his parents, Jon and Rachel. They person been courageous, wise, and steadfast, adjacent arsenic they person endured the unimaginable. They person been relentless and irrepressible champions of their lad and of each the hostages held successful unconscionable conditions. I respect them and grieve with them much profoundly than words tin express. I cognize each Americans contiguous volition person them successful their prayers, conscionable arsenic Jill and I will. I person worked tirelessly to bring their beloved Hersh safely to them and americium heartbroken by the quality of his death. It is arsenic tragic arsenic it is reprehensible. Make nary mistake, Hamas leaders volition wage for these crimes. And we volition support moving astir the timepiece for a woody to unafraid the merchandise of the remaining hostages.
President Joe BidenIn April, Hamas released a video of Goldberg-Polin accusing Israel’s authorities of abandoning the radical who are being held hostage by Hamas.
In the video, Goldberg-Polin besides claimed that immoderate 70 captives person been killed successful Israel’s bombing campaign. Goldberg-Polin was intelligibly speaking nether duress, and the assertion could not beryllium independently verified. It was not wide erstwhile the video was made.
Goldberg-Polin, 23, was astatine the Tribe of Nova euphony festival when Hamas launched its onslaught from adjacent Gaza. In the video, Goldberg-Polin is missing portion of his near arm.
Witnesses said helium mislaid it erstwhile attackers tossed grenades into a structure wherever radical had taken refuge. He had tied a tourniquet astir it earlier being bundled into the motortruck by Hamas.
Goldberg-Polin is 1 of the astir recognized captives. Posters with his representation are pinned up crossed Israel. His mother, Rachel Goldberg, has met with satellite leaders and addressed the United Nations.
His parents, Rachel Goldberg-Polin and Jon Polin, took the signifier during the Democratic National Convention, taking respective moments earlier addressing the assemblage arsenic attendees cheered.
At 1 point, Goldberg-Polin closed her eyes and placed her manus connected her bosom arsenic the assemblage began to chant “bring them home!” Some members successful the assemblage wiped distant tears.
The Associated Press and NewsNation spouse The Hill contributed to this report.