A group representing the families of hostages held in Gaza has blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the deaths of six hostages whose bodies have been recently recovered, and called for a "massive demonstration" for a peace deal.
The Israeli military said on Sunday said it had found the bodies of the six hostages, including Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, from a tunnel in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, saying they were killed shortly before they were to be rescued.
Hamas officials said that Israel was to blame for the deaths because of its refusal to sign a ceasefire deal, while Netanyahu blamed the group for the stalled negotiations.
The other hostages were identified as Ori Danino, 25, Eden Yerushalmi, 24, Almog Sarusi, 27, Alexander Lobanov, 33, and Carmel Gat, 40.
"For 11 months the Israeli government led by Netanyahu failed to do what a government is expected to do—return its sons and daughters home," the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement posted on Facebook.
"A deal for the return of the hostages has been on the table for over two months. If it weren't for the thwarting [of the deal], the excuses and the spins, the hostages whose deaths we learned of this morning would probably be alive."
In another statement, the group called for Israelis to join a demonstration to bring "a complete halt of the country" and demand an immediate deal to bring the hostages home.
It also called for Netanyahu to "address the nation and take direct responsibility for abandoning the hostages."
In a video posted on social media, Netanyahu said he was "deeply shocked" by the killing of the hostages. "The heart of the entire nation is torn," he said. "My wife and I, together with the entire nation, mourn with the families. We grieve with them."
He said Israel would hold Hamas accountable for killing the hostages, adding that "whoever murders hostages does not want a deal."
Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters that Netanyahu is "responsible for the killing of Israeli prisoners" and that Israelis "should choose between Netanyahu and the deal."
The hostages found dead were taken during Hamas' October 7 attack on southern Israel, in which more than 1,200 people were killed and about 250 others were taken hostage. Since then, Israel's offensive in Gaza has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, The Associated Press has reported, citing the local health ministry. The war has displaced the vast majority of Gaza's 2.3 million residents, often many times, and caused a humanitarian catastrophe.
Hostages and Missing Families Forum's statement added: "Netanyahu: Enough with the excuses. Enough with the spins. Enough of the procrastination! The time has come to return our abductees home—the living for rehabilitation and the victims and the murdered to be buried in their own land."
The group said that while eight hostages have been rescued by Israeli forces in recent months, more than 100 were released during a temporary ceasefire in November.
The forum has been contacted for additional comment.
"With broken hearts, the Goldberg-Polin family is devastated to announce the death of their beloved son and brother, Hersh," the family said in a statement. "The family thanks you all for your love and support and asks for privacy at this time."
His parents, Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg, spoke at the Democratic National Convention last month, where they called for a deal that would release all hostages and end the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza.
In a statement, President Joe Biden said he was "devastated and outraged."
Biden, who has met with Goldberg-Polin's parents, said they have "been relentless and irrepressible champions of their son and of all the hostages held in unconscionable conditions."
He added: "I have worked tirelessly to bring their beloved Hersh safely to them and am heartbroken by the news of his death. 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."
Hamas has offered to release hostages in return for an end to the war, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the release of a large number of Palestinian prisoners, including high-profile militants. However, Netanyahu has vowed to continue the war until Hamas is destroyed.
Before Sunday's discovery of the bodies, Israel said it believed 108 hostages were still held in Gaza and that about a third of them were dead.
More than 100 were freed during a weeklong ceasefire in November in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.
Eight hostages have been rescued by Israeli forces, with Qaid Farhan Alkadi, 52, freed earlier this week.
Hundreds of Palestinians have reportedly been killed in previous Israeli operations to free hostages held in Gaza. Hamas says some hostages have been killed in Israeli airstrikes and in failed rescue attempts. In December, Israeli troops mistakenly shot dead three hostages who had escaped captivity.
Update 9/1/24, 6:30 a.m. ET: This article has been updated to add a statement from the Goldberg-Polin family.
Update 9/1/24, 7:20 a.m. ET: This article has been updated to add comments from Benjamin Netanyahu and a senior Hamas official.
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Khaleda Rahman is Newsweek's National Correspondent based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on abortion rights, race, education, sexual ... Read more
