Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin has tragically died after being held captive by Hamas. His body was one of six recovered in a tunnel under Rafah. President Joe Biden expressed his devastation and outrage, noting that Goldberg-Polin had lost his arm trying to help others during the brutal attack by Hamas. The total death toll from the attack was 1,200 people.
The discovery of the bodies comes amidst Israel’s ongoing military offensive in Gaza, with thousands of Palestinians killed and injured. Biden paid tribute to Goldberg-Polin, describing his parents as courageous champions in the face of unimaginable circumstances. The President expressed optimism that a cease-fire could be reached to end the conflict, stating that negotiations were making progress.
In a separate incident, another hostage taken during the Oct. 7 attack was successfully rescued by Israeli forces. Qaid Farhan Alkadi was freed from an underground tunnel in southern Gaza. The operation was described as complex and successful thanks to intelligence on the location.
Israeli airstrikes continued to target Gaza, resulting in the deaths of at least 48 people. Clashes were reported in different areas of the enclave, as a polio vaccination campaign was scheduled to begin. The United Nations planned to vaccinate 640,000 children in Gaza, relying on temporary truces between Israeli forces and Hamas for the immunization efforts to take place.
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