The families of American-Israeli hostages in Gaza demanded Sunday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accept a cease-fire deal with Hamas after the deaths of six more captives.
Dual US-Israeli citizen Hersh Goldberg-Polin was among the hostages found dead in Rafah on Saturday, and Hamas is believed to still be holding four living Americans and three who have perished.
“The tragic murder of Hersh, just months after we all saw his face in a hostage video released by Hamas, is nothing short of vicious and senseless,” the families said in a joint statement.
“It is more proof that Hamas is killing hostages in captivity,” they said. “And it is a cruel reminder that with each passing day, the chances of bringing anyone home alive are at grave risk.
“For the last 331 days, we warned that this could happen. Enough is enough.”
Along with Golderg-Polin, the victims whose bodies were recovered Saturday were identified as Ori Danino, 25; Eden Yerushalmi, 24; Almog Sarusi, 27; Alexander Lobanov, 33, and Carmel Gat, 40.
The bodies were found in Rafah, the southern Gaza hub where the Biden-Harris administration had repeatedly pushed for Israel to avoid direct action, with President Joe Biden previously saying it would cross a “red line.”
Israel’s health ministry confirmed that all six hostages were killed by short-range shots two to three days before their bodies were found.
Lobanov, whose funeral took place Sunday, was a father of two who was working as a bar manager at the Nova music festival when Hamas attacked, killing 364 civilians, during the Oct. 7 massacre in Israel.
Witnesses have said Lobanov helped others evacuate and reach safety at the Be-eri forest before the Palestinian group captured him, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.
Danino had successfully escaped the festival massacre but opted to go back to try and help others when he was kidnapped, the forum added.
His partner, Liel Avraham — who called him a “hero” — had posted a photo of the pair online a month ago, writing the now-heartbreaking message, “I’m waiting for you.”
Several hostages who were freed during a brief cease-fire in November said Gat, an occupational therapist, helped them endure more than a month of captivity by teaching them mediation and yoga.
“Sorry Carmeli,” Gat’s grieving cousin wrote on X on Sunday. “If only you saw how your friends fought to get you back alive.”
The remaining American-Israelis still trapped in Gaza have been identified as Edan Alexander, Omer Neutra, Keith Siegel and Sagui Dekel-Chen.
Officials have confirmed the deaths of Judith Weinstein Haggai, Gadi Haggai and Itay Chen.
The latest hostage deaths have triggered intense backlash against Netanyahu, who has been accused of prioritizing his terms in the stalled cease-fire negotiations rather than the safety of the captives.
The prime minister rejected a deal last week to abandon the Philadelphi Corridor, a buffer strip along the Egypt-Gaza border, to progress the cease-fire talks, a move that was feared would doom at least some hostages.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned Netanyahu on Friday that the decision would cost hostages their lives. The six bodies were found the next day.
Israel’s largest union, along with other labor organizations and municipalities, has announced a massive strike set for Monday in protest of the deaths and to call on Netanyahu’s government to finally accept a deal.
With Post wires
