Responding to reporters at a press conference on September 1, Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said: "According to our initial estimates, they were brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists a short time before we reached them."
He said the bodies of six hostages, including Carmel Gat, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi and Ori Danino, were found underground in the city of Rafah and were returned to Israel.
Top row, from left: Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi and Carmel Gat. Bottom row, from left: Ori Danino, Almog Sarusi and Alex Lobanov. Photo: CNN
"The heart of an entire nation has been shattered into pieces. I hug their families with all my heart, and apologize for not being able to bring them home safely," Israeli President Isaac Herzog sent his condolences.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is under pressure at home and abroad to reach a ceasefire that includes the release of the remaining hostages, was not immediately available for comment.
US President Joe Biden said that among the six hostages was Israeli-American Goldberg-Polin. "I am deeply saddened and outraged," Biden said in a statement released by the White House.
Senior Hamas official Izzat El-Reshiq said Israel was responsible for the deaths because it refused to sign the ceasefire agreement.
Days earlier, hostage Qaid Farhan Alkadi, a member of the Bedouin community in southern Israel, was rescued about a kilometer away, Hagari said.
Six bodies were found among about 250 hostages taken in a Hamas massacre in southern Israel on October 7.
The discovery of the bodies of the six hostages is likely to fuel further Israeli protests demanding a hostage deal.
The hostage families forum called on Prime Minister Netanyahu to take responsibility and explain why the ceasefire was delayed.
"They were all murdered in the past few days, after surviving nearly 11 months of abuse, torture and starvation while in Hamas captivity. The delay in signing the deal led to their deaths and the deaths of many other hostages," the report said.
Ngoc Anh (according to Reuters)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/israel-xac-nhan-tim-thay-them-6-thi-the-con-tin-o-gaza-post310227.html
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