Washington: US President Joe Biden is shocked and infuriated as the bodies of six hostages, including Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, are found in Gaza by Israeli forces. The tragic discovery has escalated international condemnation against Hamas as Biden warned the group’s leaders that “will pay for these crimes.”
Six Hostages Found Dead in Gaza, Including US Citizen
On Saturday, Israeli forces found the bodies of six hostages that were held by Hamas in a tunnel under the city of Rafah in southern Gaza. Of the six killed was 23-year-old Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an American citizen, kidnapped during Hamas’s October 7 attack on southern Israel.Biden and Harris Condemn Hamas, Promise to Secure Remaining Hostages
President Biden described the killings as “tragic” and “reprehensible,” in repeating a pledge that his Administration would be working toward “the safe return of all the remaining hostages.” Vice President Kamala Harris similarly weighed in, saying, “Hamas must be eradicated. and the safety of American citizens is number one in importance.”International Outcry Against Hamas
This has also stoked global condemnation of Hamas anew. “The heart of an entire nation is crushed into pieces,” said Israeli President Isaac Herzog in condemning the killings as crimes against humanity. The deaths have underlined the brutal reality of the conflict, which has killed over 1,200 Israelis and seen 250 people taken hostage.Biden Calls for an End to the War
Speaking to reporters as he left a Delaware church, Biden underscored that the fighting needed to stop. “It’s time this war ended,” he said, reiterating his administration’s efforts at diplomatic work to bring about a de-escalation of hostilities.
This has been exacerbated by the retrieval of the bodies of six hostages, including one Israeli-American. With international pressure continuing to mount, President Biden and his administration remain firm in their commitment to the safe return of all remaining hostages and to hold Hamas responsible for their actions.
