It feels like October 7 all over again – the heartache, the endless pain and trauma, the knot in your stomach that makes it impossible to eat. In Israel, we weep suddenly and without warning. Some of us have palpitations or struggle to breathe because our bodies cannot withstand the shock and agony. A nation this small cannot carry so much grief.
On Saturday night, rumors began circulating on Telegram channels about six dead hostages. Some accounts even published their faces before the IDF gave clearance and before the hostage families were notified. The disrespectful, irresponsible way some handled this sensitive information – especially while the bodies were still being identified – is completely unacceptable.
I prayed it wasn't true, that it was just rumors. But around 6:00 a.m. Israel time, the families confirmed the murders of the six: Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Ori Danino, Carmel Gat, Alexander Lobanov, and Almog Sarusi. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) found their bodies in a Hamas tunnel under Rafah. Hamas brutally murdered them just a couple of days before the troops could reach them, shot in the back of their heads at close range.
At least three of them – Hersh, Eden, and Carmel – were slated to be released in the next hostage deal under the "humanitarian category." These six hostages survived together for over 330 days; they fought every moment to stay alive. At Hersh's funeral, his mother, Rachel Goldberg-Polin, shared that she was told these hostages were extraordinary people, and it did not surprise her that they had kept each other alive this entire time. This was not supposed to be their ending.
So many emotions come with this – anger, grief, sadness, guilt, and a thirst for vengeance. I am angry that genocidal forces like Hamas still exist, capable of murdering people in cold blood, just like the Nazis did. I am angry at the Biden administration for its poor decisions throughout this war, decisions that, from a public relations perspective, emboldened Hamas to reject multiple hostage deals. Biden represents a generation of Democrats who knew Israel when it was not a partisan issue in the United States. I felt a surge of comfort when he came to Israel after October 7 in a powerful display of solidarity – one we desperately needed at that moment. But then I watched his administration show the world and Hamas that they could not confront their radical constituents and instead put more pressure on Israel to make concessions to end the war. Hersh, as a dual citizen, was as much America's responsibility as he was Israel's, yet the United States failed to treat this as if it involved their own citizens.
I am angry at every antisemite who attended an encampment or a pro-Hamas rally, emboldening Sinwar to believe he could delay negotiations and force the United States to pressure Israel further.
Lastly, I am angry at our weak leadership, which failed us on October 7 and failed these six hostages by putting politics and personal ambitions above the well-being of Israelis. We are a beautiful country with an incredible society. All of us – soldiers and civilians, religious and secular, Jewish and Arab – are so much more than the leadership that represents us. Our leaders have failed us, and they failed these hostages.
Where do we go from here?
I don't know the right answer, but I do know we must be kind to each other, even when we disagree politically. I have protested on the streets over the last two years. I want the hostages to come home, and I want a safe and secure Israel where terrorists do not roam the streets. Most of us agree on both, even if, right now, one contradicts the other. We are all in pain, and we all want to see an end to the constant death of our people. If we start labeling those we disagree with as traitors or demonizing each other, we are doomed to a worse situation.
I know Hamas is responsible for the murder of the hostages, and I believe weak leadership in Israel and the West led to October 7 and every failure since. But I cannot ignore the biblical echoes of that dreadful Saturday, where our hatred for each other brought destruction upon ourselves.
In the wake of October 7, I saw moments of unity and love. Despite the fear and pain, we stood together, stronger than ever. Now is the time to remember that strength, to hold each other up, and to find the courage to continue fighting for the return of the hostages. We must mourn the loss of Hersh, Eden, Ori, Carmel, Alexander, and Almog with renewed commitment – to ensure their deaths were not in vain. Let us honor them by building a future reflecting their courage and will to survive, where we refuse to be divided by hatred and surrender to the darkness.
