Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation Sunday morning following the announcement by the IDF of the recovery of the bodies of six hostages—Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Ori Danino, Eden Yerushalmi, Alex Lobanov, Almog Sarusi and Carmel Gat.
"This is a difficult day. The heart of the entire nation is torn. Along with all the citizens of Israel, I was deeply shocked by the cold-blooded murder of our six hostages. My wife and I, together with the entire nation, mourn with the families. We grieve with them," Netanyahu said in a pre-recorded statement.
"I want to express my deep appreciation to our forces, to the brave soldiers of the IDF and the Shin Bet fighters, who risk their lives to bring our sons and daughters home. To the Hamas terrorists who murdered our hostages and to their leaders, I say: Your blood is on your heads. We will not rest or be silent. We will hunt you down, we will find you, and we will hold you accountable.
"Citizens of Israel, we are fighting on all fronts against a brutal enemy that seeks to kill us all. Just this morning, they murdered three police officers in Hebron. My wife and I send our deepest condolences to their families. We witnessed the unimaginable cruelty of Hamas killers on October 7, and we saw it again in the tunnels beneath Rafah. The fact that Hamas continues to commit atrocities like those of October 7 compels us to do everything to ensure they can never commit such horrors again."
Netanyahu emphasized the ongoing efforts to secure the release of remaining hostages. "Our efforts to free our hostages continue at all times. Since December, Hamas has refused to engage in genuine negotiations. On May 27, Israel agreed to a hostage release deal with full U.S. backing. Hamas refused. Even after the U.S. revised the deal on August 16, we agreed, and Hamas refused again.
2 View gallery
From top left: Ori Danino, Eden Yerushalmi, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alex Lobanov, Carmel Gat and Almog Sarusi
(Photo: Courtesy)
"As Israel is currently engaged in intense negotiations through mediators in a supreme effort to reach a deal, Hamas continues to firmly reject all proposals. Worse, at the same time, they murdered six of our hostages. Those who murder hostages are not interested in a deal."
Netanyahu concluded, "We will not relent. The government of Israel is committed, and I am personally committed, to continue striving for a deal that will bring all our hostages home and ensure our security and survival."
The IDF discovered the bodies of the six hostages in a tunnel in Rafah, approximately one kilometer from where Farhan Alkadi, another hostage, was recently rescued. The IDF had not known the exact location of the six hostages in recent months but was aware that there were captives in the sector, leading to a gradual and cautious operation in Rafah since the ground offensive began. According to assessments, the hostages were executed over the weekend.