September 1 (EUROPA PRESS) –
US President Joe Biden on Sunday lamented the death of an Israeli-American hostage in the Gaza Strip and, “devastated” by the news, vowed to make the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) pay for the “crimes” committed since October 7.
“I am devastated and outraged,” Biden said in a statement, adding that he had “worked tirelessly” to bring home Hersh Goldberg-Polin, “one of the hostages murdered by these ruthless Hamas terrorists.”
“I am heartbroken to hear the news of his death. It is as tragic as it is reprehensible,” the president added, warning “Hamas leaders” not to make any mistakes because “they will pay for these crimes.”
The White House official also reiterated that his administration will continue “working day and night to reach an agreement that guarantees the release of the remaining hostages.”
The country’s vice president, Kamala Harris, has also expressed her condolences, condemning “the continued brutality of Hamas” and urging “the entire world” to “do the same” with the “evil terrorist organization.”
“The threat that Hamas poses to the people of Israel – and to American citizens in Israel – must be eliminated and Hamas cannot control Gaza,” Harris added, noting that “the Palestinian people have also suffered under Hamas rule for nearly two decades.”
Both Biden and Harris knew Hersh’s parents personally, whom the president described as “brave, wise and steadfast,” and who confirmed his death in a statement shared on Facebook.
The announcement of the young man’s death came just hours after the Israeli army announced on social media X the discovery of “several bodies” in the Gaza Strip.
The last time Hersh, 23, was seen alive was in April, in a video released by Hamas in which he harshly criticised the Israeli government for “abandoning” the hostages and accused the army of having killed 70 hostages in the Strip with its bombs.
Goldberg-Polin was kidnapped on October 7, 2023 by Hamas while he was at the Nova Festival. His death would bring the number of kidnapped people killed out of the 116 still in the Gaza Strip to 45, according to the official calculation of the Israeli Armed Forces.
Israel launched an offensive against the Strip following the October 7 attacks, which left nearly 1,200 people dead and some 240 kidnapped. Hamas-controlled Gaza authorities have reported more than 40,600 dead and nearly 94,000 wounded, with more than 660 Palestinians killed in the West Bank and East Jerusalem in operations by Israeli forces or in attacks by settlers.
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