Hamas Releases Hostage Video of Hersh Goldberg-Polin

A video of 24-year-old Hersh Goldberg-Polin is surfacing on the web, giving hope that he could be alive. Polin has been in Hamas captivity since October 7th, 2023 when he was abducted from the Nova music festival in Kibbutz Reim in Israel’s south. Video of Polin was seen circulating on the web, showing his arm had been blown off. The blood from his arm seemed to have been stopped with a tourniquet. 

Wednesday, after the Passover Seder was conducted around the world, video evidence of Polin surfaced as Hamas released an edited clip of the young man telling his story to the camera.

Polin’s mother Rachel Goldberg-Polin has been advocating for him and the rest of the hostages around the world. She’s taken meetings with the Pope, U.S. President Biden and a number of other decision makers. She was recently named as Times Magazine’s list of top 100 Most Influential People of 2024. 

It is likely due to her advocacy and relentless appearances on television around the world (largely in the U.S. where she was born and raised). The Goldberg-Polin family have three children and moved to Israel some 15 years ago. 

The following is the English translation from the video. The English translation below was slightly improved for accuracy based on the Hebrew words Polin used in the clip. His words did not exactly match the English captions Hamas editors put on the screen. Hamas used the words “arrested” instead of “taken” and “detainee,”  when actually Polin referred to himself and others as “hatufim” or “abductees” in English.

“Hello I am Hersh Goldberg-Polin.

I am the son of Jonathan and Rachel

I was born on the 10th of March, 2000

In California, United States. 

I now live with my family in Jerusalem.  

I was arrested on October 7th at the Nova concert in Reim

I went out seeking entertainment with my friends.

Instead, I found myself struggling to survive with serious injuries all over the body.

Nevertheless, I took it upon myself to protect myself and the people who were afraid around me because there was no one to protect us that day.

No one to protect us that day (x2)

Binyamin Netanyahu and his government should be ashamed of yourselves

Because you neglected us along with thousands of other citizens.

You should be ashamed of yourselves for leaving us for two hundred days.

And all the efforts of the army have failed

Because the air force bombings killed about 70 abductees like me.

Also, you should be ashamed 

Because all the deals that were offered to you were rejected 

Don’t you want to end this nightmare already?

Binyamin Netanyahu and members of his government  (x2)

At a time when you are holding holiday meals with your families; think of us abductees in underground hell.

Without water, food or sun without the treatment I need for such a long time, 

I ask you the Prime Minister, your government and your cabinet

Everyday we are here you ignore us more and more

And you ignore our blood

Do what is expected of you and bring us home immediately

Do what is expected of you and bring us home now

Or has this become too big for you?

Another thing – more important than all the rest, 

Mom, dad, Livi and Orly, 

I love you all very much and miss you a lot 

And I think about you every day from here

I know you’re doing your best to get me home as soon as possible

I want you all to stay strong for me

And not stop until we all return home in peace

I expect and hope to see you very soon

After all of this tragedy is over

It won’t be a happy holiday for me here 

But I hope you have a holiday.”

133 hostages remain in Hamas captivity today. That number includes 8 Muslim Arabs, 7 Thai Buddhists, 2 black African Christians and people from Nepal, Mexico, Germany and France. 

The Goldberg-Polin family says this year they prefer to skip participating in the Passover holiday.