Parents of murdered American-Israeli hostage welcomes Gaza ceasefire deal as beginning of a 'national healing process'

The bereaved American-Israeli Goldberg-Polin family welcomed the hostage Gaza deal as the beginning of a “national healing process.”

“We welcome today’s announcement of a hostage and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, brokered by the United States, Egypt and Qatar. This is an opportunity to bring home 98 cherished hostages who have been held in captivity for far too long, the living to begin a challenging physical and mental rehabilitation process and the deceased for respectful and proper burial,” Rachel Goldberg- Polin and her husband, Jon Polin said.

“All of Israel needs to begin a national healing process that can only truly start when all the hostages have been brought home,” the couple added. 

Their son Hersh Goldberg-Polin was brutally kidnapped by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7 2023, from the Nova music festival in Re'im, a border town with Gaza in southern Israel. 

In April 2024, Hamas released a propaganda video with their kidnapped son visibly seriously wounded and held in Gaza. The Goldberg-Polin family reacted emotionally to the video of their son. 

“Hersh, we heard your voice today for the first time in 201 days and if you can hear us, we are telling you, we love you, stay strong, survive,” the parents urged. 

The Goldberg-Polin family became prominent global advocates for the release of the Israeli hostages and held meetings with top world leaders including U.S. President Joe Biden. 

However, Hersh and five other Israeli hostages were eventually murdered by Hamas terrorists in late August. His mother Rachel delivered emotional remarks during her son’s funeral in Jerusalem in early September. 

“Hersh wasn't perfect, but he was the perfect son for me. I am grateful to God. For 23 years I had the privilege of being Hersh's mother, even though I wanted it to be for longer,” Mrs. Goldberg-Polin said. 

“During these months I was worried about you. Missed you. Now I don't have to worry anymore. Now you'll forever be a beautiful boy,” she continued. “I love you and will miss you for the rest of my life,” she added. 

While welcoming the hostage deal, the Goldberg-Polin family lamented the fact that their son Hersh and many other innocent civilians had been killed. 

“Our beloved son Hersh and so many other innocent civilians should have been saved long ago by a deal like this one, especially since the framework for today’s deal has been in place since May 2024,” the Goldberg-Polin family wrote. 

“We will struggle with that failure for the rest of our lives. But today, we celebrate the impending reunifications of the 98 remaining hostages with their loved ones with whom we have been tirelessly advocating and so many of whom have become like family to us during this 467-day struggle,” the couple added. 

Despite the loss of their son and the large support for Hamas in Gaza, the Goldberg-Polin family articulated hope that the hostage ceasefire deal would also relieve “innocent civilians of Gaza” from the “suffering they have endured since the Hamas massacre in Israel on October 7, 2023. They also need to begin the recovery process.”