6 murdered hostages’ bodies recovered from Gaza tunnel

The bodies of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Ori Danino, Almog Sarusi, Alexander Lobanov, and Carmel Gat were brought back to Israel for burial.

By World Israel News Staff

The bodies of six hostages, including American-Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin, were retrieved from Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip by Israeli soldiers and returned to Israel.

An IDF statement identified the captives as Goldberg-Polin, 23, Eden Yerushalmi, 24, Ori Danino, 25, Almog Sarusi, 25, Alexander Lobanov, 32, and and Carmel Gat, 40.

According to military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, all of the captives are believed to have been murdered in a Gaza tunnel by their captors “a short time” before being discovered by troops.

All of them, except for Gat, were kidnapped from the Nova Festival on October 7th.

Dual American-Israel citizen Goldberg-Polin was severely wounded by a grenade during the terror onslaught.

In a Hamas propaganda video released in April, which was believed to be recorded shortly before its publication, Goldberg-Polin was seen alive. He appeared to be in good health, despite missing an arm and presumably receiving substandard medical care.

Just one week ago, his parents, Rachel and Jon, spoke at the Democratic National Convention about their mission to bring their son home.

“With broken hearts, the Goldberg-Polin family is devastated to announce the death of their beloved son and brother, Hersh. The family thanks you all for your love and support and asks for privacy at this time,” read a post from the family on Facebook.

Yerushalmi’s desperate phone call to an emergency services operator during the Nova Festival Massacre was published by Channel 12 News in May.

“I’m here amid all of the shooting in the south. I need you to help me! I’m alone, and I’m hiding in the bushes,” Yerushalmi is heard saying.

When the operator asked if she was alone, Yerushalmi replied, ““Yes. But that’s it. They’re going to kill me. I’m dead.”

Gat was kidnapped from her mother’s home in Kibbutz Be’eri, where she had been visiting for the Sukkot and Simchat Torah holidays.

The terrorists abducted Gat, along with her brother, sister-in-law, and niece, and murdered her elderly mother.

Prior to her murder, Gat, an occupational therapist, was seen in captivity doing yoga with abducted children from the kibbutz. The children were later released in a December 2023 hostage exchange.

“Our nightmare came true. She was murdered in captivity,” Gat’s cousin told Hebrew-language media.

Little was previously known about the fate of Danino, Sarusi, and Lobanov. Sarusi’s girlfriend, Shahar Gindi, was murdered at the festival.

Lobanov’s wife, who was pregnant with their second child when he was abducted, gave birth several weeks after the Nova massacre.

Lobanov held both Israeli and Russian citizenship.