The Israeli government must prioritize both the war against Hamas and saving the lives of the hostages, the family of 23-year-old Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a dual American-Israeli citizen currently captive in Gaza, said during a press conference.
Hersh was attending a party in Re'im when he was seriously injured by a grenade and then taken by Hamas.
Hersh's father, John Goldberg-Polin, shared the heart-wrenching last moments of communication with his son.
"On Friday evening, our family gathered to celebrate Simchat Torah,” he recalled. “Hersh went to a party around 11:00 at night. We wished him a good time. On Saturday morning, we heard alarms and realized something serious had occurred. My wife checked her phone. At 08:00 in the morning, we received a message from Hersh saying, 'I love you.' Ten minutes later, he sent another message 'I'm sorry.'"
John soon learned more about his son’s fate because he recognized him in a video posted by Hamas.
"In the Hamas videos, we see him at the party venue,” he said. “Grenades were being thrown to the crowd. Some people were killed while others fled. From the evidence we gathered, we understand that he was forced into a Hamas van along with two other young men and a woman, with his hand severed in the arm area.”
“Hersh's condition is extremely dire,” he added. “His arm has been untreated for 16 days since the amputation."
John highlighted that despite everything, he still hopes.
"Watching these videos as a father is a gut-wrenching experience, yet I've done it countless times,” he said. “He appears to be in shock, but I draw strength from the fact that he's still able to walk and his right-hand remains intact. He seems to be holding on. I hope he finds the strength to continue fighting."
The role of US authorities
John, who, like his son, holds American citizenship, spoke about the rescue attempts made by the US government.
"I've spoken with various representatives of the US authorities, including President Joe Biden," he said, criticizing the Israeli leadership for leaving his family in the dark.
"It took a long time for an Israeli official to reach out to us, and even now, the contact consists mostly of supportive messages rather than concrete information," he noted.
Meanwhile, he implored the Israeli leadership to prioritize efforts to secure the release of the captives alongside the ongoing war with Hamas.
"Do not give up on the hostages, and do not forget them,” he said. “It is not a choice between war or their lives – it's both, and the two issues must be addressed simultaneously."