JERUSALEM — Hamas on Wednesday released a hostage video showing a well-known Israeli-American who was among dozens of people kidnapped by the militants in the attack that sparked the war in Gaza.
The video was the first sign of life from Hersh Goldberg-Polin since the Hamas attack on October 1. 7 against southern Israel and its release sparked new protests in Jerusalem calling on the government to do more to secure the release of the captives.
In the video, Goldberg-Polin accused the Israeli government of abandoning people who are being held hostage by Hamas. She also claimed that some 70 captives had died in Israel’s bombing campaign. Goldberg-Polin was clearly speaking under duress and the claim could not be independently verified. It was unclear when the video was made.
Goldberg-Polin, 23, was at the Tribe of Nova music festival when Hamas launched its attack from nearby Gaza. In the video, Goldberg-Polin is missing part of his left arm.
Witnesses said he lost control when the attackers threw grenades into a shelter where people had taken shelter. He had made a tourniquet for him before Hamas put him in the truck.
Goldberg-Polin is one of the most recognized captives. All over Israel there are posters with his image. His mother, Rachel Goldberg, met with world leaders and addressed the United Nations.
Although there was no date on the video, Goldberg-Polin appeared to reference the Jewish holiday of Passover, which lasts a week and begins on Monday.
His parents said they were relieved to see him alive, but were concerned for his health and well-being, as well as that of the other hostages.
“We are here today with an appeal to all the leaders of the parties that have been negotiating to date,” said his father, Jon Polin, naming Egypt, Israel, Qatar, the United States and Hamas.
“Be brave, lean in, seize this moment and come to an agreement to reunite us all with our loved ones and end the suffering in this region,” he said.
The families of the hostages have accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government of not doing enough to secure the release of their relatives.
After the Hamas video became public, hundreds of Israelis gathered outside Netanyahu’s official residence in central Jerusalem on Wednesday, calling on the government to reach a deal to bring the hostages home. Many carried Goldberg-Polin signs and some of the protesters set fire to cardboard boxes.
“We fear for his life, so we went to protest and ask the government to do everything possible to bring him and everyone else back as soon as possible,” said one of the protesters, Nimrod Madrer. “Bring them back home,” the crowd chanted.
At the nearby Great Synagogue, a large crowd booed the country’s ultranationalist national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, chanting “shame” as he left the building after an Easter gathering. A protester hit Ben-Gvir’s car and police pushed him away as he drove away.
Hamas and other militants kidnapped about 250 people in October. 7 attacked and killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians. They are believed to still be holding around 100 hostages and the remains of around 30 other people. Most of the rest were freed in November in exchange for the release of 240 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.
Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official, said Goldberg-Polin’s family had asked mediators to inquire about her fate for humanitarian reasons.
His family was “searching all over the world for any sign of him,” al-Hayya said in an interview with Hamas-run Al-Aqsa TV broadcast Wednesday. The armed wing of Hamas “sent a strong message by publishing this young man’s message addressed to Netanyahu,” al-Hayya said.
The United States, Qatar and Egypt have spent months trying to negotiate another ceasefire and the release of hostages, but talks appear to have stalled. Hamas has said it will not release the remaining hostages unless Israel ends the war, which has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, according to local officials.
Netanyahu has rejected those demands and says Israel remains committed to destroying Hamas and bringing all hostages home. He has come under increasing criticism in Israel, where some say it will be impossible to do both.
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