Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed sorrow over the deaths of six hostages, saying the killings prove Hamas does not want a ceasefire deal.
He said he was heartbroken to hear the news of the deaths of the hostages, who the Israeli military earlier said had been “cruelly murdered by Hamas terrorists shortly before we reached them”.
The Israel Defence Forces said the bodies of Carmel Gat, 40, Eden Yerushalmi, 24, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, Alexander Lobanov,33, Almog Sarusi, 27, and Ori Danino, 25, were found and recovered on Saturday.
Mr Netanyahu accused Hamas of killing them in “cold blood” and said Israel would hold the group accountable. He also accused the group of scuttling ongoing ceasefire efforts.
“Whoever murders hostages doesn’t want a deal,” he said.
The Israeli army said the bodies were recovered from a tunnel in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, around half a mile from where another hostage, Qaid Farhan Alkadi, 52, was rescued alive last week.
All six were abducted by Hamas on October 7th, Ms Gat from the farming community of Be’eri and the others from a nearby music festival.
Critics in Israel have accused Mr Netanyahu of dragging his feet in ceasefire talks – a charge he denies.
Israel’s Channel 12 reported he got into a shouting match last week with his defence minister, Yoav Gallant, who accused him of prioritising control over a strategic corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border – a major sticking point in the talks – over the lives of the hostages.
Hamas has offered to release the hostages in return for an end to the war, the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the release of a large number of Palestinian prisoners.
Izzat al-Rishq, a senior Hamas official, blamed the hostages’ deaths on Israel and the United States, saying they would still be alive if Israel had accepted a ceasefire proposal that Hamas said it had agreed to back in July. He did not mention the hostages by name.
The family of Mr Goldberg-Polin, an Israeli-American hostage, confirmed his death in a statement on Sunday, hours after the Israeli army said it had located bodies in Gaza.
“With broken hearts, the Goldberg-Polin family is devastated to announce the death of their beloved son and brother, Hersh,” it said.
“The family thanks you all for your love and support and asks for privacy at this time.”
Israel’s mostly ceremonial president, Isaac Herzog, said: “The heart of an entire nation is shattered to pieces.”
Defence minister Mr Gallant said: “In the name of the state of Israel, I hold their families close to my heart and ask forgiveness.”
US president Joe Biden said he was “devastated and outraged” by the news.
He added: “It is as tragic as it is reprehensible. Make no mistake, Hamas leaders will pay for these crimes. And we will keep working around the clock for a deal to secure the release of the remaining hostages.”
Vice president Kamala Harris also released a statement, saying her prayers are with the Goldberg-Polin family and condemning Hamas.
Mr Goldberg-Polin was among the hostages seized by militants at a music festival in southern Israel on October 7th.
He lost part of an arm in the attack.
His parents became perhaps the most high-profile relatives of hostages on the international stage, meeting with Mr Biden, and Pope Francis and addressing the United Nations.
On August 21st, they addressed a hushed hall at the Democratic National Convention, where the crowd chanted: “Bring them home.”
A Hamas-issued video in April showing Mr Goldberg-Polin clearly speaking under duress sparked new protests in Israel urging the government to do more to secure his and others’ freedom.
Before the news of the deaths, Israel said it believed 108 hostages were still held in Gaza and about one-third of them were dead.
