Keir Starmer condemns ‘horrific’ killing of six hostages in Gaza
Sir Keir Starmer has condemned the ‘horrific and senseless’ killing of six hostages in Gaza as he reiterated his calls for a ceasefire deal.
The UK prime minister took to X to share the heartfelt message following the discovery of six Israeli hostages who were found dead in a Rafah tunnel on Saturday – just a day before three were set to be released in a prisoner exchange deal.
Starmer wrote: ‘I am completely shocked at the horrific and senseless killing of six hostages in Gaza by Hamas. My thoughts are with their loved ones at this awful time.
‘Hamas must release all the hostages now, and a ceasefire deal must be agreed by all sides immediately to end the suffering’.
The hostages’ remains were recovered ‘from an underground tunnel in the Rafah area’ following the group’s 11 month stay in captivity after being snatched by Palestinian militants during the October 7 massacre.
Sir Keir Starmer took to X to condemn the ‘horrific’ killings of six Israeli hostages after their bodies were discovered by the IDF in a Gaza tunnel on Saturday
Hersh Goldberg-Polin is among six hostages whose bodies were recovered Saturday. He was among victims taken hostage by Hamas during the October 7 massacre
Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg, parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, are pictured with their son
Alex Lobanov, 26, was the head barman at the festival
‘Hersh, Carmel and Eden were all on the list of hostages set to be released in the July 2 ceasefire proposal presented by Biden. We could have saved them,’ a senior Hamas official said.
Military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari added the hostages were ‘brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists’ shortly before being discovered by Israeli troops – potentially just one or two days before being found.
The military named the deceased as Hersh Goldberg-Polin – an Israeli-American – Eden Yerushalmi, 24, Carmel Gat, 39, Almog Sarusi, 26, Alex Lubnov, 26, and Master Sergeant Ori Danino, 25.
They were among 251 hostages seized during the October 7 attack on southern Israel by Palestinian militants with the Times of Israel reporting that autopsies have shown the hostages were murdered in the last 48 hours.
David Lammy, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs mirrored Starmer’s message on X, calling for the immediate release of all the hostages.
‘The UK condemns Hamas’ appalling murder of 6 innocent hostages in Gaza in the strongest terms,’ he wrote.
‘I offer my deepest condolences to those grieving at this awful time. Hamas must release all the hostages immediately, and all sides must accept the deal on the table to end this war’.
On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also vowed to ‘settle the score’ with Hamas after the military discovered the hostages’ bodies.
‘Those who kill hostages do not want an agreement’ for a Gaza truce, Netanyahu said in a statement, telling Hamas leaders that ‘we will hunt you down, we will catch you and we will settle the score’.
He added that ‘those who kill hostages do not want an agreement’ for a Gaza truce.
According to Netanyahu, ‘the fact that Hamas continues to commit atrocities such as those it committed on October 7 obliges us to do everything we can to ensure that it can no longer do so’, referring to the Palestinian group’s unprecedented attack on a music festival in southern Israel that triggered the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.
Netanyahu also said he is mourning for the hostages whose bodies were recovered from Gaza, and accused Hamas of ‘unimaginable cruelty.’
‘Along with all the citizens of Israel, I was shocked to the depths of my soul by the terrible cold-blooded murder of six of our abductees,’ he said.
‘I say to the Hamas terrorists who murdered our abductees and I say to their leaders — your blood is on your head. We will not rest and we will not be silent. We will pursue you, we will catch up with you and we will bring you to account’.
Almog Sarusi, 26, was enjoying the rave when Hamas terrorists attacked
Eden Yerushalmi was also abducted from the Nova music festival
Carmel Gat was visiting her family in Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7
Ori Danino was taken captive by Hamas from the Nova Music Festival on October 7
But Senior Hamas official Izzat El-Reshiq said that Israel, in its refusal to sign a ceasefire deal, was responsible for the deaths.
Hamas has so far denied responsibility for their deaths, saying the hostages were killed by ‘Zionist bombing’.
It comes as the BBC was slammed after giving a platform to a Palestinian chief who celebrated the October 7 massacre live on Radio 4’s World at One show on Wednesday, branding it ‘a glorious day’.
Following Saturday’s tragic discovery, Israel’s President Isaac Herzog took to X, formerly Twitter, to pay tribute to the six hostages that devastatingly lost their lives.
‘The heart of an entire nation is shattered to pieces… On behalf of the State of Israel, I embrace their families with all my heart, and apologize for failing to bring them home safely’.
Herzog also defiantly confirmed that Israel will continue to ‘fight relentlessly’ against Hamas.
‘The blood of our brothers cries out to us. Our sisters and brothers are still there enduring Hell. The supreme covenant between the state and its citizens is to ensure their safety. We have the sacred and urgent mission to bring them home,’ he ended the post.
US President Joe Biden also shared a message, saying he was ‘devastated and outraged’ by the deaths.
‘It is as tragic as it is reprehensible. Make no mistake, Hamas leaders will pay for these crimes,’ he said.
‘And we will keep working around the clock for a deal to secure the release of the remaining hostages.’
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said it ‘bows its head in mourning’ for the latest deaths and called for a ceasefire deal.
‘Were it not for the delays, sabotage, and excuses those whose deaths we learned about this morning would likely still be alive,’ the campaign group said.
The body of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, was recovered from a tunnel under the Gazan city of Rafah on Saturday, 10 months after his abduction during the atrocity that killed 1,200.
‘With broken hearts, the Goldberg-Polin family is devastated to announce the death of their beloved son and brother, Hersh,’ the family said in a statement.
‘The family thanks you all for your love and support and asks for privacy at this time.’
His family announced on Sunday that his funeral will be held tomorrow at Har Hamenuchot in Jerusalem.
Confirmation of each hostage’s death was shared by Israel on X.
All six hostages were snatched from the Supernova music festival in southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Pictured: Palestinians transport a captured Israeli civilian, center, from Kfar Azza kibbutz into the Gaza Strip on October 7
Dramatic bodycam footage shows a terror squad wearing khakis as they ride motorbikes in a convoy on October 7
The aftermath of an attack on the Supernova music Festival by Hamas gunmen, October 9
Five of those who were recovered had been attending the Nova music festival when Hamas terrorists began slaughtering festivalgoers, while taking others hostage. Gat was at her family kibbutz when she was captured.
Goldberg-Polin lost his arm when a grenade exploded during the carnage.
Israeli officials said it took ‘many hours’ to identify the remains of the three men and three women recovered, Axios reported.
Just last month, Goldberg-Polin’s parents Jon and Rachel addressed the Democratic National Convention in Chicago and pleaded for their son’s safe return.
Speaking through tears, Rachel said: ”Hersh, if you can hear us, we love you, stay strong, survive.’
Goldberg-Polin was born in Berkeley, California. His family moved to Richmond, Virginia, then immigrated to Israel in 2008, when Goldberg-Polin was seven.
The Hamas victim was said to have been working on a soccer program intended to bring Israeli and Palestinian children together at the time of his abduction.
The brutal Israel-Hamas war broke out on October 7 when the Palestinian Islamist group attacked an Israeli music festival in southern Israel, killing 1,200 and snatching around 250 hostages, according to Israeli figures.
At least 40,691 Palestinians have now been killed and 94,060 injured in Israel’s counter offensives in Gaza, the enclave’s Hamas-run health ministry said in a statement on Saturday.
