Hamas Releases Hostage Video: Hersh Goldberg-Polin Accuses Israeli Government of Abandoning Captives, Sparks Protests
Hamas released a hostage video featuring Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an Israeli-American man, who was among those abducted during Hamas' attack on southern Israel on October 7.
The video was the first indication of Goldberg-Polin's well-being since the attack.
In the video, he accused the Israeli government of abandoning hostages and claimed that over 70 captives had been killed during Israel's bombing campaign.
The claim could not be independently verified, and it was unclear when the video was recorded.
Goldberg-Polin, 23, was at the Tribe of Nova music festival when Hamas launched its attack from nearby Gaza.
The video led to new protests in Jerusalem demanding the government take action to secure the captives' release.
A man named Goldberg-Polin, who is missing part of his left arm, was seen in a video after being released as a hostage.
Witnesses claimed he lost his arm during a grenade attack in a shelter.
His image has been widely circulated in Israel, and his mother, Rachel Goldberg, has met with world leaders and addressed the UN.
The video did not have a date, but Goldberg-Polin mentioned the Jewish holiday of Passover, which had begun that week.
His parents expressed relief at his survival but were concerned about his health and that of the other hostages.
They appealed to the leaders of Egypt, Israel, Qatar, the United States, and Hamas who were involved in negotiations.
A Hamas video showing a captured Israeli soldier, Shaul Goldberg-Polin, has led to protests by his family and hundreds of other Israelis, calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to secure his release and that of other hostages.
The protesters gathered outside Netanyahu's residence, setting cardboard boxes on fire and chanting "Bring them back home." The families have accused the government of not doing enough to secure their loved ones' release, and one protester expressed fear for Goldberg-Polin's life.
A large crowd protested and jeered Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir at the Great Synagogue after a Passover gathering, chanting "shame." The protests followed the abduction of around 250 people and the killing of around 1,200, mostly civilians, by Hamas and other militants in October.
Around 100 hostages and the remains of some 30 others are still being held.
Khalil Al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official, announced that the family of Goldberg-Polin, one of the hostages, had asked for information about his fate for humanitarian reasons.
The family is reportedly searching the world for any news of him.
Hamas' armed wing released a message from a young Palestinian man, threatening Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Ceasefire negotiations between Hamas, Israel, the US, Qatar, and Egypt have stalled, with Hamas refusing to release remaining hostages unless Israel ends the war and ends its commitment to destroying Hamas.
Netanyahu has rejected these demands and faces criticism in Israel for his approach.
The conflict has resulted in over 34,000 Palestinian deaths, according to local officials.