Hamas publishes video of Israeli hostage who lost arm on October 7, parents respond: “Be strong, survive”

Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a 23-year-old man of Israeli and American nationality, was kidnapped by Hamas at the Nova festival on October 7. It was known that the young man had been seriously injured because he had thrown back grenades thrown into his shelter by Hamas fighters during the attack. He was seriously injured in his left arm when one of those grenades exploded.

“I have to fight for my life now”

It was not clear whether Goldberg-Polin was still alive. The undated images distributed by Hamas now show that the man has lost a large part of his upper arm. The footage shows him addressing the camera, identifying himself, and saying that he has now been held hostage for “almost 200 days”. That would mean that the images were taken recently, because Tuesday was the 200th day after the Hamas attack. “I wanted to spend time with my friends, but now I have to fight for my life with serious injuries all over my body,” he said.

In the video, Goldberg-Polin – like other hostages in similar videos – also criticizes the Israeli government and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. As a hostage, Goldberg-Polin obviously speaks under duress. He criticizes “ministers who enjoy a meal together with their families,” a reference to Passover, the Jewish festival that started Monday evening. The young man goes on to ask his family to stay strong, saying he hopes he was able to bring them some comfort on the holiday.

An organization of families of hostage Israelis called the video “a disturbing reminder of the need to take swift and decisive action to resolve this horrific humanitarian crisis and ensure the safe return of our loved ones.” “Hersch’s cry for help is the collective cry for help of all hostages: their time is quickly running out. With each passing day we fear we will lose more innocent lives.”

Parents: “Relieved, but worried”

Goldberg-Polin’s parents also responded in a video. Mother Rachel Goldberg-Polin turned to her son: “Hersh, if you can hear us, we heard your voice today, for the first time in 201 days. If you can hear us: we love you, be strong, survive.”

Father Jon Polin said seeing their son was “overwhelming”. “We are relieved to see him alive, but we are also concerned for his health and well-being – as we are for the other hostages and everyone suffering in the region.”

They call on the leaders of the negotiating parties – Qatar, Egypt, the US, Israel and Hamas – to reach an agreement. “Be brave and seize this moment to reunite us all with our loved ones and put an end to the suffering in the region.”

An Israeli army spokesperson responded that this video is “psychological terror,” a “reminder of how sick this terrorist group is.”

129 more hostages in Gaza Strip: “Their time is quickly running out”

The attack on Israeli territory left 1,170 dead and Hamas also abducted 250 people to the Gaza Strip. There are now 129 hostages still in the Gaza Strip, of whom 34 have died, according to Israeli officials.