(NewsNation) — The discovery of six hostages dead in Gaza sparked outrage among Israeli citizens who protested in the streets Monday, calling for an immediate cease fire and the release of all remaining hostages.
Protesters have focused most of their anger on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of slow-walking a cease-fire deal that may have led to the release of those hostages.
“For 11 months, the government of Israel led by Netanyahu failed to do what is expected of a government — to bring its sons and daughters home,” families of those held hostage said in a joint statement. “Netanyahu: Enough of the excuses. Enough of the spin. Enough of the abandonment.”
Netanyahu, however, continues to blame Hamas, saying “Whoever murders hostages does not want a deal.”
United States officials are still working toward a deal. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris gathered in the Situation Room Monday with the U.S. hostage deal negotiation team.
“President Biden expressed his devastation and outrage at the murder, and reaffirmed the importance of holding Hamas’s leaders accountable,” the White House said in a news briefing.
A deal is “very close,” Biden told reporters.
Meanwhile, strikes and protests in solidarity with families of hostages continued in the streets of Israel on Monday while funeral processions for 23-year-old Israeli American Hersh Goldberg-Polin began.
“Amidst the inexplicable agony, terror, anguish, desperation and fear, we became absolutely certain that you were coming home to us alive,” the man’s mother, Rachel Goldberg-Polin said. “But it was not to be. Now I no longer have to worry about you. I know you are no longer in danger.
Hersh Goldberg-Polin lost part of his left arm to a grenade in the attack. In April, Hamas issued a video that showed him alive, sparking protests in Israel.
Ori Danino, 25; Eden Yerushalmi, 24; Almog Sarusi, 27; Alexander Lobanov, 33; and Carmel Gat, 40, also were confirmed dead, The Associated Press reported.
In the life of this conflict, there have been a few flashpoint moments that families hoped might spark a cease-fire deal to move forward. That hasn’t been in the case so far, but many in Israel hope this time is different.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog apologized to the hostages’ families, saying the nation failed to protect their loved ones.
“How sorry I am that we didn’t protect Hersh on that dark day,” Herzog said. “How sorry I am that we failed to bring him home. In his life and in his death, Hersh has touched all of humanity deeply.”
