The tragedy has increased popular pressure against Netanyahu
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) found the bodies of six hostages in a tunnel in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, an incident that increased popular pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a truce to allow the release of those still alive.
The remains were found one kilometer from the tunnel where Farhan al-Qadi, who was released by the IDF last week, was being held prisoner.
The bodies found in Rafah are those of Alex Lubnov, 33, who also had Russian citizenship; Almog Sarusi, 27; Eden Yerushalmi, 24; Carmelo Gat, 39; American-Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23; and Ori Danino, 25.
Five of them were kidnapped by Hamas at the Nova electronic music festival, one of the terrorists’ main targets on October 7. The only exception is Carmel, who was kidnapped in Kibbutz Be’eri.
According to IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari, the six Israelis were “brutally murdered” shortly before the army arrived. An autopsy showed that the victims were killed with point-blank shots to the head and other parts of the body between Thursday and Friday. Hamas said the hostages died in “air strikes” by Israel.
“I say to the Hamas terrorists who murdered our hostages: we will not stand by and watch and remain silent. We will settle the score,” Netanyahu threatened, who also accused the fundamentalist group of “refusing to negotiate.” “Those who kill hostages do not want a deal,” he added.
However, the forum bringing together the families of those kidnapped on October 7 called on the prime minister to take “responsibility for abandoning” the captive Israelis.
“In recent months, eight hostages have been recovered alive during military operations, compared to 105 released in the November agreement,” the group said. According to Hamas, some of the victims found this weekend were on the list of people who would have initially been released in the event of a deal.
The families of the two hostages found dead refused to answer Netanyahu’s phone calls, while a civil servants’ union declared a general strike in Israel on Monday (2).
About 100 of the 251 hostages kidnapped by Hamas remain in Gaza, but it is unclear how many are still alive.
Reactions – A critic of the current Israeli government, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said he was “shocked” by the killing of the hostages by Hamas.
“These innocent young men and women should have been saved a long time ago. We stand with all the hostages,” stressed the bloc’s diplomacy chief, calling for a ceasefire to “put an end to this tragedy.”
UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for the “unconditional” release of the kidnapped people. “Today’s tragic news is a devastating reminder of the need to end the nightmare of the war in Gaza,” he added.
US Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris condemned Hamas’ “continued brutality.” “The threat posed to the Israeli people and American citizens in Israel must be eliminated,” she stressed.
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Source: Terra
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