The parents of Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin called for swift action after Hamas today released a distressing video proving their son’s life.
The 24-year-old, who was kidnapped from Nova Festival on October 7, was seen in a video released today by Hamas accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of leaving him with the terrorist group for 200 days .
Goldberg-Polinborn in California in March 2000, spent more than six months as a hostage and was seen with a shaved head and part of his left arm and hand missing.
Following the shocking images, Hersh’s parents urged Netanyahu to “stop wasting any more time” and bring the hostages home as a “top priority.”
The heartbroken family added that “the video constitutes an urgent call for swift and decisive action,” warning the Israeli prime minister that “time is rapidly running out” for the remaining hostages held captive by Hamas.
Hersh Goldberg-Polin (photo), kidnapped from the Nova Festival on October 7, was seen in a video released today by Hamas.
He was one of around 250 hostages taken by Hamas on October 7 and spent more than six months held hostage.
Hersh’s parents (photo) have been fighting for their son’s release since his kidnapping two hundred days ago.
The Goldberg-Polin family said in a statement released by the Hostage Families Forum headquarters: “For more than 200 days, 133 hostages have been held captive by Hamas, enduring daily physical, sexual and psychological torment.
“Hersh’s cry is the collective cry of all the hostages: their time is running out. With each passing day, the fear of losing more innocent lives grows stronger.
“We cannot afford to waste any more time; the hostages must be the top priority.
“All hostages must be returned home – those who are alive to begin the rehabilitation process and those who are murdered for a dignified burial.”
“This heartbreaking video is an urgent call for rapid and decisive action to resolve this horrific humanitarian crisis and ensure the safe return of our loved ones.
In the video, Goldberg-Polin, who is seen missing his left hand and part of his arm, begins by identifying himself, before saying: “I was arrested on October 7 at the Nova Festival in Rei’m. I went out to look for fun with my friends.
The emaciated man, who spent more than six months as a hostage and was seen with a shaved head, said: “Instead, I found myself struggling to survive with serious injuries all over my body.
“Nevertheless, I took it upon myself to protect myself and the people around me who were afraid because there was no one to protect us that day.
He then blames Netanyahu and his government for the decision not to rescue the hostages, saying: “Benjamin Netanyahu and his government, (you) should be ashamed of yourselves because you neglected us and thousands of others citizens.
Hersh Golberg-Polin, 24, was kidnapped by Hamas fighters while attending the Nova festival
He criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for leaving him with the terrorist group for 200 days.
He was seriously injured when he was taken from the Nova Festival
“You should be ashamed that you left us for two hundred days, and all the army’s efforts failed.
“Besides, you should be ashamed because all the offers you were given were rejected. Don’t you want to end this nightmare?
“Benjamin Netanyahu and the members of his government, as you eat lunch with your families, think of us, held in an underground hell, without water, without food and without sunlight; without the treatment I have needed for so long.
“I am asking the Prime Minister, your government and the cabinet. Every day we are here, you ignore us more and more, and you ignore our blood.
“Do what is expected of you and take us home immediately, or has this become too big for you?”
“It’s time to hand over the keys to government, evacuate the ministries and go home.
After the anti-Netanyahu comments, he then pivots to tell his family how much he misses her and how much they love him.
“One other and last thing is more important than anything; my mother, my father, Liby and Orly – I love you so much and I miss you so much, and I think of you every day that passes.
“I know you are doing your best to get me home as quickly as possible. I want you to stay strong for me and not stop until we all go home in peace.
Referring to Passover, he ended by saying: “I hope to see you very soon, after all this tragedy is over. It won’t be a happy holiday for me, but I wish you one.
In the gruesome footage, Hersh is seen climbing into the bed of a Hamas van moments after his left arm was torn off.
Hersh and several other young men were loaded at gunpoint into the bed of a Hamas van. Blood covered each of their bodies
Previous video footage shows Goldberg-Polin and several other young men crowded into the back of a vehicle at gunpoint. They are shown climbing into the truck, including Hersh, who behaved calmly despite his serious injury.
In the video, Goldberg-Polin’s bloodied left limb was visible as he climbed into the truck around 9 a.m. on Saturday, October 7, during the Nova music festival in southern Israel.
The footage, initially uncovered by Anderson Cooper’s team at CNN, showed several Palestinian terrorists dragging three other young men into the truck with Goldberg-Polin, the last of whom was thrown at the three injured men.
Rachel Goldberg, Hersh’s mother, was a key hostage activist and pushed Hamas to release the remaining 129 hostages, who today marked 200 days of detention.
The war between Israel and Hamas was sparked by the unprecedented October 7 raid in southern Israel, in which the militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapped around 250 hostages.
The war in Gaza has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities, about two-thirds of whom were children and women.
Despite the bloody cost of the war, Israel is still preparing to go all the way and was seen this week building a massive tent city to evacuate more than a million Palestinians who have sought refuge in Rafah, the last city standing in the conflict. Gaza strip.
Photos from satellite imaging company Planet Labs show a marked accumulation of uniformly arranged tents near Khan Younis, which was largely destroyed during the Israeli army’s bloody invasion of the Gaza Strip.
The photos, taken three days apart on April 18 and 21 respectively, show white structures building significantly over a short period of time.
People rush to unload humanitarian aid packages dropped in northern Gaza Strip
The conflict has sparked regional unrest pitting Israel and the United States against Iran and allied militant groups in the Middle East.
Israel has repeatedly said it plans to evacuate displaced civilians from Rafah ahead of a six-week military operation expected to begin in May.
Smoke rises following Israeli strikes, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.
Israel has repeatedly said it plans to evacuate displaced civilians from Rafah ahead of a six-week military operation expected to begin in May.
Egyptian officials told the Wall Street Journal that the first weeks would be spent evacuating refugees to Khan Younis and other areas with shelters and medical facilities.
The preparations come as the United States says Hamas is preparing for a “large-scale regional war.”
State Department spokesman Matt Miller said Hamas was “moving the posts” in hostage and ceasefire negotiations, adding that the terror group had declined a “very important proposal.” , without however specifying what it was about.
He said: “It certainly appears that Hamas is more interested in a large-scale regional war.
“It takes two to reach an agreement, and right now Hamas has signaled that it does not want an agreement.”
Miller urged Hamas to stay at the table, telling the group that the ball was “in their court.”
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