Australian Jewish community in mourning
Liberal Senator Dave Sharma wrote on social media on September 2, "Hamas's abduction, detention and killing of such innocent civilians is a clear and cold-blooded war crime.
There has been an outpouring of grief across the Australian Jewish community over the six Israeli hostages who were executed by Hamas in Gaza.
The bodies of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, Eden Yerushalmi, 24, Ori Danino, 25, Almog Sarusi, 27, Alexander Lobanov, 32, and Carmel Gat, 40, were found by Israeli troops early on Sunday, local time. They had been killed, execution-style, shortly before they were discovered. An autopsy found all six hostages were shot multiple times from close range.
Israeli-American Goldberg-Polin had become one of the faces of the campaign to free the hostages, following relentless efforts by his parents Rachel and Jonathan.
Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese offered condolences on X on September 2.
“It is devastating to learn that six Israeli hostages have been killed by Hamas. Australia offers our deepest sympathies to their loved ones and all those who grieve their loss. Every innocent life matters,” he said.
“The suffering and the destruction from this conflict must come to an end. We stand with the international community in calling for the immediate release of all hostages, the protection of civilians and a ceasefire in Gaza.”
Liberal Senator Dave Sharma wrote on social media on September 2, “Hamas’s abduction, detention and killing of such innocent civilians is a clear and cold-blooded war crime.
“Hamas should immediately release all remaining hostages … Any nation or party that is genuinely interested in a ceasefire, an end to this conflict, and an end to the suffering of the Palestinian and Israeli people, should be calling for exactly this.”
Jewish community leaders also directed their outrage towards Hamas.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Peter Wertheim said, “It will never really be known whether any of the hostages … could have been saved. The only certainty is that having endured nearly 11 months of cruel captivity they were murdered in cold blood.
“Time and again Hamas has sunk to the same level of sickening barbarism that it displayed on October 7. That is where the world’s anger should be directed.”
Zionist Federation of Australia CEO Alon Cassuto commented, “Hamas, and their utter disregard for human life, is solely responsible for the ongoing suffering in this conflict, both Israeli and Palestinian. This war could end tomorrow if Hamas returned the hostages and surrendered. There is no place for Hamas in the future governance of Gaza.”
Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council executive director Colin Rubenstein noted, “If any more proof were needed of the savagery and evil represented by the enemy Israel is fighting, this act surely says it all.”
The New Israel Fund Australia called on the Australian Government “to do all that it can to ensure a ceasefire and hostage deal”.
It stated, “As the protest movement takes to the streets to protest ‘the cabinet’s ongoing neglect of the hostages’, we must heed its call and join the protest as international actors, demanding that our government place pressure on the Israeli government and Hamas to reach an immediate deal and end this senseless bloodshed for good.”
The Union for Progressive Judaism said the deaths of the hostages “is a sad reminder of the urgency to bring home the remaining hostages and achieve a ceasefire in Gaza.”
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