Israeli-American with Maryland ties among six hostages found dead in Gaza

BALTIMORE -- A 23-year-old Israeli-American, with Maryland ties, was one of the six hostages found dead by the Israeli Defense Forces over the weekend in Gaza.

Thousands gathered to lay Hersh Goldberg-Polin to rest in Jerusalem on Monday. 

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore shared a statement about Goldberg-Polin, who has family in Montgomery County, saying in part, "We must stand together and we must seek peace. May Hersh's memory, and the memories of all those who have been taken from us too soon, be a blessing."

Push for ceasefire

Calls for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas War have intensified after six hostages were found dead in Gaza.

Caren Leven, Executive Director of the Baltimore Zionist District, is worried more hostages will die unless a ceasefire deal is reached.

Just as there are calls for a ceasefire, calls to sever ties are also intensifying.

Leven said the entire Jewish community around the world is grieving these deaths.

"I think every mom feels like she lost her son and that's how we really feel as a nation -- as a Jewish community," Leven said.

Calls to divest from Israel

Calls to divest from Israel happened in front of Baltimore City Hall on Monday. 

The nonprofit Peoples Power Assembly is demanding Amazon end a contract it has with Israel that provides A.I. and tech services to its government and military.

"Project Nimbus is their main contract and project with Israel. We're asking they shut it down and we're also demanding they support their workers," said Peoples Power Assembly member Andrew Mayton.

Leven said as hard as the times are now, the Jewish community will continue to stand strong for each other.

"I don't believe the Jewish community will ever be broken and that's something really important to stress," she said. "You may shatter us, but you will never break us."

The Baltimore Zionist District believes more needs to be done to also address antisemitism, especially on college campuses.