Hostage's Father Accuses Netanyahu of Taking Credit for Returns
Translated & summarized from Israel Hayom by baba
Jon Polin, father of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a hostage murdered in Hamas captivity, criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for taking credit for hostage returns. Polin stated on X that the family "did not want our loved ones back in bags" and that hostage returns are not an achievement to be credited to Netanyahu. His remarks followed Netanyahu's post commemorating the one-year anniversary of a deal that brought back 20 hostages, living and deceased, including Goldberg-Polin.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Jon Polin, father of murdered hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, criticized Prime Minister Netanyahu for taking credit for hostage returns.
- Polin stated on X that the family "did not want our loved ones back in bags" and called hostage returns "not an achievement."
- He emphasized that "huge credit is due to our heroic soldiers."
- Polin was referencing 46 hostages murdered in captivity, including six executed in late August 2024.
- Hersh Goldberg-Polin and five other hostages were executed by their captors as IDF soldiers approached.
- Netanyahu had posted about the one-year anniversary of a deal returning 20 hostages, living and deceased.
Jon Polin, father of Hersh Goldberg-Polin who was murdered in Hamas captivity, responded on Wednesday to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks on the anniversary of the release of the last hostages. Polin posted on X, formerly Twitter, urging Netanyahu to stop taking credit for the return of all hostages, stating, "Believe me, we did not want our loved ones back in bags. This is not an achievement." He emphasized that "huge credit is due to our heroic soldiers." Polin was referring to 46 hostages murdered in captivity, including six who were executed in late August 2024 after attempting to survive for 328 days. He noted that his son Hersh and five other hostages, Eden Yerushalmi, Uri Danino, Alex Lobanov, Almog Srugo, and Carmel Gat, were held together under harsh conditions. An investigation into their deaths indicates their captors shot them as IDF soldiers approached the tunnel where they were held.
Netanyahu had previously posted on social media marking one year since a deal that returned 20 living hostages and the bodies of the last hostages held by Hamas, including Goldberg-Polin. The Prime Minister wrote, "Yesterday marked a year since the release of all our hostages, living and deceased alike. Many did not believe we would achieve this goal, which seemed impossible, but we believed. And with the bravery of our soldiers and our resourcefulness, we achieved the goal. We brought them all home."
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