A video clip that Israelis of a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen being held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip has provoked a rebuke from a vocal pro-Israel Democrat in Congress.
“For 201 days, Hersh Goldberg-Polin’s family have not known if their son is alive or dead,” Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) said in a statement on Wednesday. “The last image they had of Hersh was from October 7th when their son was seen being thrown into the back of a Hamas truck, his left arm blown off by a Hamas grenade.”
The 22-year-old was attending the Nova music festival in southern Israel on Oct. 7 when he was injured and then kidnapped by terrorists.
Finally, he said, “after 201 days, Hamas released a propaganda video showing Hersh.”
He continued, saying that “we are all relieved that Hersh is alive” and that all people of goodwill “must do all we can to bring Hersh, and every one of the 132 remaining hostages home now.
Still, the congressman pointed the finger at Goldberg-Polin’s captors. “And we must always remember—Hamas did this,” he said.
“Hamas killed more than 1,200 people on Oct. 7. Hamas continues to hold more than 130 people hostage in their terror tunnels,” Schneider stated. “And Hamas continues to decline a deal that would release hostages, pause fighting and allow for aid to flow to civilians in Palestine who desperately need it.”
