The Media Line: Thousands Line Jerusalem Streets as Slain Hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin Is Laid to Rest

Thousands Line Jerusalem Streets as Slain Hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin Is Laid to Rest

By The Media Line Staff

On Sunday, thousands of mourners lined the streets of Jerusalem to pay their final respects to Hersh Goldberg-Polin, one of the six Israeli hostages killed in Gaza before their bodies were recovered by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) on Saturday. The 23-year-old, described by his family as “a child of light, love, and peace,” will be laid to rest at Jerusalem’s Givat Shaul cemetery at 4 p.m. local time on Monday.

As the funeral procession made its way from the Baka neighborhood to the cemetery, a sea of Israeli flags waved in tribute to Goldberg-Polin. The streets were filled with people standing solemnly along the route, honoring the young man who was abducted by Hamas on October 7 while attending a music festival in southern Israel.

Autopsies revealed that Goldberg-Polin and the other hostages, who were taken during the October 7 attack, were executed by gunshot last week. The government’s inability to secure their release has sparked widespread protests and a general strike across the country.

The vigil held in Baka saw the community center courtyard adorned with yellow ribbons and flags of Hapoel Jerusalem, Hersh’s favorite team. His mother Rachel’s words, “We love you, stay strong, survive,” were prominently displayed. Among those attending the vigil were former Knesset member Rachel Azaria, Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Yosi Havilio, and friends from the Jerusalem Brigade, who wore red shirts bearing Goldberg-Polin’s image.

During the vigil, prayers were led softly, concluding with the singing of Israel’s national anthem, “Hatikva,” although not everyone joined in. Some attendees expressed their anger and sorrow at the tragedy, while others reflected on the impact Rachel Goldberg-Polin’s advocacy had worldwide.

Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was born in the US and moved to Israel at age 7, was abducted during the October 7 attack when Hamas fighters launched a deadly assault on southern Israel.

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