US President Joe Biden said he was “devastated and outraged” to learn of the recovery of six hostages from Gaza in a statement on Sunday morning, including that of Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin.
Goldberg-Polin’s parents, Rachel and Jon, have been high-profile advocates for a deal to free the captives.
Speaking on the operation, Biden confirmed that the hostages were found in a tunnel under Rafah and returned to Israel.
“We have now confirmed that one of the hostages killed by these vicious Hamas terrorists was an American citizen, Hersh Goldberg-Polin. Hersh was among the innocents brutally attacked while attending a music festival for peace in Israel on October 7. He lost his arm helping friends and strangers during Hamas’ savage massacre. He had just turned 23. He planned to travel the world.”
Biden added that he knows Hersh’s parents, Jon and Rachel, calling them “courageous” and saying they have endured the “unimaginable.”
“I admire them and grieve with them more deeply than words can express.”
Speaking for Americans, Biden said he held the parents in his prayers and was heartbroken by the news.
“Make no mistake, Hamas leaders will pay for these crimes,” he concluded by stating.
In a separate statement, Vice President Kamala Harris said that she and her husband prayed for Hersh’s parents.
“When I met with Jon and Rachel earlier this year, I told them: You are not alone. That remains true as they mourn this terrible loss,” Harris added. “As is said in the Jewish tradition, may Hersh’s memory be a blessing.”
She continued by saying that Hamas “is an evil terrorist organization” with “American blood on its hands.”
She said she strongly condemned “Hamas’ continued brutality” and encouraged the rest of the world to do the same. She added that Hamas poses not just a threat to Israel but to the Palestinian people.
Further responses
Secretary of State Anthony Blinken called Hersh Goldberg-Polin “an American hero who will be remembered for his kindness and selflessness.”
“The killing of these hostages only further confirms Hamas’s depravity. It should release all the hostages immediately. We will continue to work with our partners in the region to secure an agreement without delay that frees the remaining hostages.”
US Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew said he was “heartbroken and outraged.” He corroborated the statements of President Biden and Secretary Blinken that the US would “not rest until all of the hostages are home.”
“We grieve with Jon and Rachel Goldberg-Polin and their families, pray for them to find comfort, and commit to bringing all the other hostages safely home.”
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