A family is reacting after Hamas released a video of an Israeli hostage with Bay Area ties held in captivity.
An undated video was released by Hamas on Wednesday, it shows American-Israeli hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin identifying himself. It was a first glimpse of him in captivity.
Goldberg-Polin was abducted at the Supernova Music Festival in October. One video showed him being kidnapped from the music festival as his left arm was badly damaged by a grenade.
The latest video showed the 23-year-old’s hand was gone. Speaking to the camera in Hebrew, Hersh asks the Israeli government to bring home the hostages. He's also thinking about his family.
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Goldberg-Polin’s parents, Rachel and Jonathan are calling on Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire agreement.
“We are relieved to see him alive but we are also concerned about his health and wellbeing,” said Jonathan Polin.
Goldberg-Polin has ties to the Bay Area. He was born in Berkeley but later moved with his family to Israel. People like rabbi Mark Bloom with the Temple Beth Abraham in Oakland know the family well.
“When I was on sabbatical in Israel, in Jerusalem last summer. I think the last Shabbat dinner we had, this was in July, well before Oct. 7. We had Shabbat dinner with his parents. I know them. I’ve spent some time with them, so he was very much on my mind,” he said. “It’s a relief that he’s alive but great concern because you can tell it's a propaganda video."
Hersh is one of five Americans believed to be alive in Hamas captivity. Israel says 133 hostages are still in Gaza. At least 36 of whom are confirmed dead.
It’s been more than six months of war. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, more than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed.
