The United States and 17 other countries on Thursday called for the release of all hostages held by Hamas.
Leo Correa/AP
WASHINGTON — U.S. President Joe Biden and other leaders issued a joint statement Thursday calling for Hamas to release hostages held in Gaza, the latest attempt at public pressure to advance negotiations over a potential cease-fire with Israel.
The statement was issued by Biden and the leaders of 17 other countries, all of which have citizens who are missing or were taken hostage during the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas. The other countries are Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Thailand, and the United Kingdom.
Here is the statement:
“We call for the immediate release of all hostages held by Hamas in Gaza for over 200 days. They include our own citizens. The fate of the hostages and the civilian population in Gaza, who are protected under international law, is of international concern.
“We emphasize that the deal on the table to release the hostages would bring an immediate and prolonged cease-fire in Gaza, that would facilitate a surge of additional necessary humanitarian assistance to be delivered throughout Gaza, and lead to the credible end of hostilities. Gazans would be able to return to their homes and their lands with preparations beforehand to ensure shelter and humanitarian provisions.
“We strongly support the ongoing mediation efforts in order to bring our people home. We reiterate our call on Hamas to release the hostages, and let us end this crisis so that collectively we can focus our efforts on bringing peace and stability to the region.”
Hersh Goldberg-Polin was taken hostage at an open-air music festival Oct. 7 in southern Israel near the Gaza border.
Provided
This week Hamas released a recorded video of renowned Israeli American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin.
The video was the first sign of life of Hersh Goldberg-Polin since Oct. 7. The 23-year-old was at the Tribe of Nova music festival when Hamas launched its attack from nearby Gaza. In the video, Goldberg-Polin is missing part of his left arm.
In it, Goldberg-Polin accused Israel’s government of abandoning the people who are being held hostage by Hamas. He also claimed that some 70 captives had been killed in Israel’s bombing campaign. Goldberg-Polin was clearly speaking under duress, and the claim could not be independently verified.
It’s not clear when the video was taken, but Goldberg-Polin appeared to reference the weeklong Jewish holiday of Passover. Passover began Monday.
Goldberg-Polin’s parents, Rachel Golberg and Jon Polin, are Chicago natives. Last week, Rachel Goldberg was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in 2024.
“This distressing video serves as an urgent call to take swift and decisive action to resolve this horrific humanitarian crisis and ensure the safe return of our loved ones,” his family said in a statement released by a forum for hostages’ relatives.
His parents said they were relieved to see him alive but were concerned about his health and well-being, as well as that of the other hostages.
“We are here today with a plea to all of the leaders of the parties who have been negotiating to date,” Jon Polin said, naming Egypt, Israel, Qatar, the United States and Hamas.
“Be brave, lean in, seize this moment and get a deal done to reunite all of us with our loved ones and end the suffering in this region,” he said.
Goldberg-Polin is one of the most recognized captives. Posters with his image are pinned up across Israel. Rachel Goldberg has met with world leaders and addressed the United Nations.
Jon Polin grew up in West Rogers Park and Skokie. Rachel Goldberg was raised in Streeterville on Lake Shore Drive. Her mom still lives downtown near Navy Pier, and Polin’s mom lives in Evanston.
Natalie Raanan and her mother, Judith Raanan, of Evanston, also were kidnapped Oct. 7 and taken hostage by Hamas. They were released nearly two weeks later.
Raanan and her daughter were visiting relatives in Nahal Oz, a kibbutz about 1.5 miles from the Gaza border, when Raanan received a phone call from her mother the morning of Oct. 7 warning them to not go outside. Soon after, they heard gunshots in the distance and a rocket hit one of their rooms. Then they heard militants outside their door, she said.
“Two guys came in with full artillery — very frightening, very big weapons, with a big bomb,” Judith Raanan said in an interview with NewsNation’s Elizabeth Vargas. “They did say, ‘We’re not going to kill you.’”