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By Ari Rabinovitch and Stephanie Kelly
JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israel recovered the our bodies of six hostages from a tunnel in southern Gaza the place they had been apparently killed not lengthy earlier than Israeli troops reached them, the army mentioned on Sunday.
“In keeping with our preliminary estimation, they had been brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists a short while earlier than we reached them,” army spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari advised reporters in a briefing.
The our bodies of Carmel Gat, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi and Ori Danino had been discovered underground within the metropolis of Rafah and returned to Israel, he mentioned.
“The center of a complete nation is shattered to items,” mentioned President Isaac Herzog, whose put up is basically ceremonial. “I embrace their households with all my coronary heart, and apologize for failing to convey them house safely.”
There was no quick remark from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who’s below strain at house and overseas to achieve a ceasefire deal that features the discharge of remaining hostages.
Hamas didn’t instantly touch upon the accusations.
U.S. President Joe Biden, who has intently adopted the destiny of the hostages seized on Oct. 7, mentioned the six included Israeli American Goldberg-Polin.
“I’m devastated and outraged,” Biden mentioned in a press release issued by the White Home.
Days earlier, hostage Qaid Farhan Alkadi, a member of the Bedouin group in southern Israel, was rescued a couple of kilometre away, Israel’s Hagari mentioned.
After Alkadi was positioned, troops had been advised to be cautious as a result of different hostages may be within the space, however there had been no exact data on their location, he mentioned.
The six recovered our bodies had been from about 250 hostages taken in Hamas’ killing spree by way of southern Israel on Oct. 7 that sparked the conflict in Gaza. About 1,200 folks had been killed within the assault, in accordance with Israeli tallies.
Since then, not less than 40,691 Palestinians have been killed and 94,060 injured in Israel’s army offensive in Gaza, the enclave’s well being ministry mentioned in a press release on Saturday.
Sunday’s information was more likely to spur additional protests by Israelis demanding a hostage launch deal.
Goldberg-Polin, captured at a music pageant close to Gaza, appeared in a video launched by Hamas in late April.
“He had simply turned 23. He deliberate to journey the world,” Biden mentioned. His mother and father, Rachel Goldberg and Jon Polin, “have been brave, sensible, and steadfast, at the same time as they’ve endured the unimaginable,” he mentioned.
“They’ve been relentless and irrepressible champions of their son and of all of the hostages held in unconscionable situations. I love them and grieve with them extra deeply than phrases can specific,” the president mentioned.
Biden vowed that “Hamas leaders can pay for these crimes. And we are going to hold working across the clock for a deal to safe the discharge of the remaining hostages.”
Vice President Kamala Harris mentioned in a press release, “I strongly condemn Hamas’ continued brutality, and so should all the world.” Harris, the Democratic candidate working to succeed Biden, mentioned she and he would by no means waver of their dedication to free the Individuals and all these held hostage in Gaza.
Earlier, chatting with reporters in Rehoboth Seaside, Delaware, Biden mentioned he was “nonetheless optimistic” a couple of ceasefire deal to cease the battle.
“I believe we’re on the verge of getting an settlement,” he mentioned. “It is time this conflict ended.”
Biden added that “persons are persevering with to satisfy.”
“We expect we are able to shut the deal, they’ve all mentioned they agree on the rules.”
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