Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic vice presidential candidate, finally issued a statement in response to the news that the bodies of six hostages, including an American citizen, had been discovered in a Hamas tunnel under Gaza, after dodging a question about the hostages.
In a job On X, Walz wrote that he and his wife, Gwen, were sending their “deepest condolences to the Goldberg-Polin family” as they mourn the loss of their son, American-Israeli citizen Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, who was one of six identified hostages.
Walz’s message came after he walked away and dodged a question from a reporter at the Minnesota State Fair who asked him what his “reaction” was to the news that the bodies of six hostages held by Hamas had been discovered.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) identified the six murdered hostages as Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, Ori Danino and Goldberg-Polin.
“The anguish of losing a child is something no family should have to endure,” Walz wrote in his message. “Gwen and I extend our deepest condolences to the Goldberg-Polin family on the murder of their son Hersh by Hamas. Hamas is a brutal terrorist organization – and we condemn in the strongest possible terms their continued atrocities against Americans and Israelis.”
The loss of a child is a hardship no family should have to endure. Gwen and I extend our deepest condolences to the Goldberg-Polin family after their son Hersh was murdered by Hamas.
Hamas is a brutal terrorist organization – and we condemn its ongoing atrocities against…
— Tim Walz (@Tim_Walz) September 2, 2024
Ynet News reported that autopsies performed on the hostages’ bodies showed that they had suffered “gunshot wounds to the head and other areas” and that they had been “executed within 48 hours” before their bodies were found:
The six hostages whose bodies were discovered and recovered in Gaza on Sunday had gunshot wounds to the head and other areas, autopsies showed.
According to the autopsy, they were executed no more than 48 hours before being found and signs of neglect in captivity were found on their bodies.
With the exception of one of the hostages, who showed signs of being tied up, no signs of torture were found. However, the condition of their bodies indicated systematic neglect, including a lack of hygiene over a long period of time. In addition, there were traces of previous injuries sustained during their abduction, which had been treated over time.
Walz’s statement comes after statements by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. In his statement, Biden said that “Hamas leaders will pay for these crimes.”
Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) also responded to the news, saying his “support for Israel is unwavering.” Fetterman has been a vocal supporter of Israel in the aftermath of the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack that left 1,200 dead and more than 250 taken hostage.
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) ordered “flags to be flown at half-staff” in honor of Goldberg-Polin. Goldberg-Polin’s family had previously lived in Richmond, Virginia, for a few years before moving to Israel.
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