The young Israeli American who was taken hostage by Hamas terrorists during their massacre in the desert had his arm severed during the shooting, his mother revealed on Tuesday – and had to make her own clothes to save her life.
“Unfortunately, what we heard about Hersh [from eyewitnesses] was his arm blown off from the elbow down,” Rachel Goldberg told CNN about the last known location of her son, Hersh Goldberg-Polin.
“He cut off his own arm.”
Goldberg-Polin, who turned 23 last week, was attending an outdoor concert in the northern Negev Saturday when Hamas terrorists stormed in and began shooting innocent people.
Goldberg-Polin and other revelers were forced into a bomb shelter while militants rained grenades and gunfire on them, Rachel explained.
Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, was taken hostage by Hamas on Saturday. Family Distribution
“Hersh and his best friend tried to throw a grenade out of the bomb shelter,” the desperate mother said of the eyewitness account.
A young woman who found herself next to Goldberg-Polin in a bomb shelter later told her parents that the Berkeley, California, native comforted her during the ordeal.
When the shooting finished and the attackers demanded that anyone who could walk should follow them outside, the woman played dead – but Goldberg-Polin was “very calm” and followed the kidnappers, her parents added.
Although Goldberg-Polin’s family – including two sisters – feared the worst as the death toll rose, they also hoped they would receive word of her whereabouts soon.
Abandoned site opens with debris strewn after Hamas attack.AFP via Getty Images
“I truly feel that the American government and President Biden … are working tirelessly … to ensure that these American civilians who are being held hostage are released, [and] taken care of,” Rachel told CNN.
“[And that they] can ensure that these seriously injured American civilians are treated,” he added.
The Goldberg-Polin family’s update came shortly after harrowing footage emerged of Hamas terrorists storming a music festival early Saturday — and ultimately leaving 260 dead in their wake.
About 260 people were massacred at the outdoor festival, Israeli officials said. AFP via Getty Images
As the violence unfolded, Goldberg-Polin texted her parents “I love you” and “I’m sorry” before becoming unreachable, her family previously said.
Goldberg-Polin was celebrating her birthday and her release from mandatory military service, which she completed in April, her father, Jon Polin, told the Jerusalem Post.
In the months since he got out, the young man has worked as a waiter and doctor to save up for a trip to India, Jon told the outlet.
Goldberg-Polin is celebrating her birthday and the end of her military service.Family Handout
Goldberg-Polin, who is Jewish, made aliyah — or immigrated to Israel — with her family in 2008.
Before moving to Jerusalem, the family lived in Richmond, Virginia.
As of Tuesday, the death toll in Israel reached 900, with another 2,800 injured and at least 500 still in hospital.
Hersh and his friend took refuge in a bomb shelter, only to be bombarded with grenades and gunfire from Hamas militants. AFP via Getty Images
The timing of the surprise Hamas attack coincided with both Simchat Torah — the Jewish holiday marking the completion of the Torah reading cycle — and the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
