Israeli-American hostage with Chicago ties is one of six found dead in Gaza
CHICAGO (CBS) — Thousands of protesters filled the streets in Tel Aviv, Israel, demanding a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas. After the deaths of six Israeli hostages, including one whose parents are originally from Chicago, they say it may be their only hope of finding the remaining captives alive.
Police used water cannons on demonstrators. The anger there is fierce and only growing. Israeli flags draped the caskets of the dead, as Israel's major trade union is threatening a massive strike.
The goal is to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach a ceasefire deal now.
One of the hostages found dead is Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin.
The president of the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago calls the hostages' deaths devastating and heartbreaking. He says it was always a tragic possibility, but he prayed it would not come true.
"The prospect of what happened the last 48 hours is always front and center in our minds," said Lonnie Nasatir. "The harsh reality that his life was taken cruelly last night hits us as a community, even more powerfully than maybe the others. The others are equally important, but this one with the Chicago connection hits really hard, and hits our heart."
Nasatir says Goldberg-Polin's parents were Chicagoans and met in the city. He still has family in Chicago.
"Throughout this whole ordeal, we've been really connected to the family. He still has two grandmothers here, aunts and uncles. So the family is here, and we've been connecting with them all the time over the last 11 months or so."
Goldberg-Polin's parents have been among the highest-profile relatives of the hostages, as they have lobbied extensively for the release of all the hostages. His mother and father, Rachel Goldberg and John Polin, wore masking tape and changed it daily with the number of days their son was in captivity.
They spoke less than two weeks ago during an emotional speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, detailing life without their son.
"Since then, we live on another planet," his mother said.
On Sunday, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris personally spoke to the grieving parents.
On social media, President Biden said, "I have worked tirelessly to bring their beloved Hersh safely to them and am heartbroken by the news of his death."
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin also expressed his condolences, saying "A ceasefire must be reached immediately that allows all remaining hostages to be released, humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza, and an elusive and neglected long-term vision for peace and stability to become reality."
Bring Hersh Home, an Instagram account dedicated to finding him, posted late Sunday afternoon, saying his funeral will be Monday in Jerusalem. His family from Chicago will be traveling there for the service.