Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg Pollin has been confirmed dead, his family announced early Sunday morning.
Goldberg Pollin, 23, was abducted from a music festival in southern Israel during a Hamas attack on Israel on October 7. He lost part of his left arm to a grenade during the attack.
His body was found on Saturday in a tunnel beneath Rafah along with five other hostages after they were killed by Hamas.
According to a family statement, he is a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen and immigrated to Israel with his family in 2008 when he was seven years old. He is survived by his parents, John Pollin and Rachel Goldberg, and two sisters.
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The death of Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg Pollin has been confirmed. (Israeli Minister of Defense)
Goldberg-Polin's family and friends have traveled around the world calling for his release, meeting with world leaders, including officials from the Biden administration.
President Biden said he was “shocked and outraged” by the news of Goldberg Pollin's death.
“This is as reprehensible as it is tragic,” he said. “Make no mistake, Hamas leaders will pay a price for these crimes, and we will continue to work day and night toward an agreement to secure the release of the remaining hostages.”
Vice President Kamala Harris, who is also the Democratic presidential candidate, said she offered her prayers to Goldberg-Polin's family as they mourn her death.
“Hamas is an evil terrorist organization,” Harris said. “With this murder, they have shed yet more American blood. I strongly condemn Hamas' continuing atrocities, and so should the whole world. From the massacre of 1,200 people, to the sexual assaults, to the hostage taking, to this murder, Hamas' depravity is clear and horrifying.”
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Goldberg Polin, 23, was kidnapped from a music festival in southern Israel during a Hamas attack on October 7. (Israel Defense Forces)
“The threat that Hamas poses to the people of Israel and to American citizens living in Israel must be eliminated. Hamas cannot control Gaza,” she added. “The Palestinian people have also suffered under Hamas rule for almost two decades.”
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The other bodies recovered on Saturday were those of Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarsi and Sergeant Oli Danino.
According to the IDF, the six victims were shot dead by their captors just before the IDF arrived. Israeli President Isaac Herzog said:[s] I sincerely apologize to their families.[s] Because I couldn't bring them home safely.”
“A few hours ago, the IDF notified families that their loved ones had been found dead in an underground tunnel in Rafah,” IDF spokesman Maj. Gen. Daniel Hagari said in a statement. “Our initial assessment is that the bodies were brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists shortly before our arrival.”
Fox News' Yonat Frilling contributed to this report.
