Hundreds call for ceasefire after hostages found dead in Gaza
NEW YORK (PIX11) -- Hundreds of people gathered in different parts of New York City after six hostages were found dead in Gaza Saturday. The pressure is on for a cease-fire agreement.
Authorities in Israel said the six hostages were killed just before getting rescued by Israeli forces.
Grief, anger, and frustration, following the discovery of six bodies of hostages in Gaza Saturday, captured during the October 7th attack by Hamas.
“Seal the deal, save people, more important than anything else in the world. Devastated just absolutely devastated. Feel like they could’ve been saved, they should’ve been saved and we failed,” said Leat Corinne Unger, one of the many individuals who gathered in Central Park Sunday morning.
According to the Israeli military, the bodies of two women and four men were recovered from a tunnel beneath the Gaza city of Rafah. Among them, is American-Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated Israel will hold Hamas accountable for killing the hostages in "cold blood.” He also blamed Hamas for the delayed ceasefire negotiations and added "Whoever murders hostages doesn't want a deal.”
But loved ones of those that have been murdered and of those who remain in captivity, are saying this latest tragedy could’ve been prevented if a cease-fire agreement had been reached.
“I cried last night in bed when I saw their names. Bibi keeps saying it is bad. He doesn’t care because if he did those six people would be alive today,” stated the uncle of one of the hostages.
Sunday evening, outside of the Israeli consulate, six candles were lit, in a memorial to the 6 hostages found dead.
“They were shot in different parts of their body. They were brutalized. This is what Hamas is all about, brutalization, barbarism,” Said Dov Hikind from Americans Against Antisemitism 2:19
According to authorities in Israel, 101 hostages are believed to remain in captivity, including 35 who are thought to be dead.