The parents of an American-Israeli held by Hamas in Gaza took to social media this week to offer to personally negotiate with the terrorist group for the release of their son and the 133 other hostages.
Rachel Goldberg-Polin and Jon Polin posted the urgent appeal on the “bring,hersh,home” Instagram account.
“We decided to come forward as its day 223 and the hostages are still being held,” the couple told The Post Thursday. “That means something is not working. We are frustrated, but not by the lack of will to get something done but by the lack of the results.”
The couple, originally from Chicago and now living in Jerusalem, have been fighting for their son’s release since he was kidnapped by Hamas on Oct. 7. Their current proposal is being made to every party involved in the hostage negotiations, including representatives from the US, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and Hamas, according to a spokesman for the family.
“We know that there have been strong, valiant attempts by the negotiators to try to make a deal happen, and unfortunately, they have not been successful yet,” says Goldberg-Polin in the Instagram video posted Wednesday.
“Here’s our proposal: Bring us into the room,” says Polin. “We’re not diplomats, but what we bring is deep, emotional attachment to the situation and to ending it now. And we will not come out until we have a deal.”
Hersh, 23, was at the Nova music festival in the Negev desert during the Oct. 7 terrorist attack that left 1,200 Israelis dead.
Last month Hamas released a propaganda video showing a gaunt-looking Goldberg-Polin, who was missing his left arm from below the elbow. It was partly blown off during the attack that saw many of his friends killed as they hid in a shelter during the massacre.
“I went out to hang out with my friends, and instead, I found myself fighting for my life, with severe injuries all over my body, after trying to protect myself and other frightened civilians, when there was no one to protect us that day,” he said in the video distributed by the terror organization.
As part of their campaign to free their son, his parents have met with the Pope as well as representatives from the United Nations in New York and in Geneva to press their case.
“We saw the video, and we were relieved to see him alive, while we still worry about his health and the well-being of the other hostages,” the couple said last month. “Hersh, if you’re listening, we heard your voice for the first time in 200 days. We love you, stay strong.”
On Mother’s Day, Goldberg-Polin recorded herself reading a letter that she wrote to her son when he was a toddler. “Hersh, these last three years have been the most challenging and best years of my life,” she read from the letter. “Nothing can begin to describe my love for you.”
The mother, a US-Israeli citizen, was named to Time’s The 100 Most Influential People of 2024 for her efforts on behalf of all the hostages.
“This is an offer to help all the hostages, not just Hersh,” the couple told The Post.
As of Thursday, they had not received an official reply to their proposal, the spokesman said.
