JPOST
Clip of Hersh Goldberg-Polin evokes joy and heartbreak throughout the country
Editorial Board
April 26, 2024

The video clip of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, which dominated social media channels on Wednesday night, achieved the nearly impossible task of simultaneously evoking joy and heartbreak. A blinding joy because it seems to verify that the 24-year-old Jerusalem resident, who was taken captive by Hamas on October 7 after having part of his arm blown off by a grenade thrown at him at the Nova festival, is alive. His statements, which he was likely forced to read on camera at gunpoint, mention 200 days of captivity and Passover, implying that the video was made in the recent past. READ MORE

Dan Senor: Proof of Life with Rachel Goldberg and Jon Polin When I was in Israel, I visited with Rachel and Jon and we recorded a conversation for this podcast about the video, as well as what else they had learned from it, especially about Hersh’s severe wound — he continues to be medically fragile. Jon and Rachel discussed why they decided to approve media release and coverage of the video. Rachel and Jon also reacted to the shocking protests on US campuses — they are both from the US, as is Hersh, and they reflected on what they regarded as some encouraging news about a statement on the hostages, which was signed by 18 countries.