Jon and Rachel Goldberg-Polin, parents of murdered hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin,describe the anguish of awaiting their son’s release that never materialized.

The post WATCH: Parents of slain hostage: ‘We really thought we were bringing him home’ appeared first on World Israel News.

On Wednesday, Hamas posted a video indicating that Hersh Goldberg-Polin was still alive, although it can’t be confirmed when the video was recorded.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

After Hamas released a propaganda video of Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, his parents publicized their own video urging all parties to agree to a hostage deal and a message to their son and other hostages: “Stay strong, survive.”

On Wednesday, Hamas posted a video indicating that Hersh Goldberg-Polin was still alive, although it can’t be confirmed when the video was recorded.

Since October 7th, Hamas has sent out a number of these videos, which many media outlets do not have access to or do not wish to publish to avoid participating in Hamas’s strategy of psychological warfare.

In the video, the 23-year-old hostage says he has been in captivity for 200 days.

He shows that he is missing part of his arm which was blown off while Hersh was hiding in a bomb shelter.

In the video, he sends love to his family and criticizes the Israeli government for the fact he is still in Gaza.

The response video features Hersh’s parents, Rachel and Jon Goldberg-Polin saying, “Seeing the video of Hersh today is overwhelming. We are relieved to see him alive but we are also concerned about his health and wellbeing as well as that of all the other hostages and all of those suffering in this region.”

They added, “We are here today with a plea to all of the leaders of the parties who have been negotiating to date. This includes Qatar, Egypt, the United States, Hamas and Israel: be brave, lean in, seize this moment and get a deal done to reunite all of us with our loved ones and end the suffering in this region.”

They concluded, “Hersh, we heard your voice today for the first time in 201 days and if you can hear us, we are telling you, we love you, stay strong, survive.”

The post Parents respond to Hersh Goldberg-Polin’s hostage video – ‘Stay strong, survive’ appeared first on World Israel News.

Hamas periodically releases hostage videos as a tactic of psychological warfare. 

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Hamas has released a propaganda video showing Israeli hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin alive and speaking to the camera.

Since October 7th, Hamas has sent out a number of these videos, which many media outlets do not have access to or do not wish to publish to avoid participating in Hamas’s strategy of psychological warfare.

There is no validation of when the video was filmed, but in it, the 23-year-old hostage says he has been in captivity for 200 days.

He shows that he is missing part of his arm which was blown off while Hersh was hiding in a bomb shelter.

Video footage from October 7th shows Hersh Goldberg-Polin being thrown onto the back of a truck.

In the video, he sends love to his family and criticizes the Israeli government for the fact he is still in Gaza.

It should be kept in mind that released hostages have reported that they were coached into saying certain things under duress.

Hersh Gold0berg-Polin’s mother, Rachel Goldberg-Polin, was included in this year’s Time magazine annual list of the “100 most influential people” for her global campaigning efforts to secure the release of her son and all the hostages in Gaza.

Pleading for her son’s return, Rachel Goldberg-Polin has met with world leaders including US President Joe Biden, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Pope Francis.

Goldberg-Polin’s family also launched a social media campaign called “Bring Hersh Home.“

Time described Goldberg-Polin on Wednesday as “one of the most visible advocates for the hostages and their families” when the magazine unveiled her inclusion in its annual list.

“Hope is mandatory,” she said in a recent interview. “I believe it, and I have to believe it, that he will come back to us.”

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Rachel Goldberg-Polin has met with numerous world leaders and addressed the UN twice in her advocacy efforts.

By Shiryn Ghermezian, The Algemeiner

Rachel Goldberg-Polin, whose 23-year-old Israeli-American son is still being held hostage by Hamas terrorists following the Oct. 7 attacks in southern Israel, has been included in this year’s Time magazine annual list of the “100 most influential people” for her global campaigning efforts to secure the release of her son and all the hostages in Gaza.

Hersh Goldberg-Polin was abducted by Hamas terrorists from the Supernova music festival on Oct. 7.

A video from his abduction shows Goldberg-Polin being shoved onto a pickup truck at gunpoint after his left arm was blown off from the elbow by a grenade that Hamas terrorists threw into a bomb shelter where he and some friends were hiding.

Palestinian terrorists led by Hamas murdered 1,200 people on Oct. 7 in a series of attacks in southern Israel, and more than 250 others were taken as hostages back to the Gaza Strip.

Pleading for her son’s return, Rachel Goldberg-Polin has met with world leaders including US President Joe Biden, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Pope Francis.

She addressed the United Nations in both New York City and Geneva and was on the cover of Time magazine with her husband a week and a half after the Oct. 7 attacks.

Goldberg-Polin’s family also launched a social media campaign called “Bring Hersh Home.“

Time described Goldberg-Polin on Wednesday as “one of the most visible advocates for the hostages and their families” when the magazine unveiled her inclusion in its annual list.

“Hope is mandatory,” she said in a recent interview. “I believe it, and I have to believe it, that he will come back to us.”

Commenting on her inclusion on Time‘s list of the “100 most influential people” of the year, she thanked the publication “for recognizing the significance and gravity of the hostage crisis and the need for the world to advocate on their behalf until each one is returned home.”

“I pray this platform will help compel the world not to forsake these remaining 133 souls, who hail from 25 countries, 5 religions and range in age from 15 months to 86 years old, and who have now been held captive in Gaza for 194 days,” she added.

“We must not turn a blind eye to the suffering of these human beings, along with the suffering of all innocents in Gaza.”

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