A year after Hamas tunnel executions, Israel honors 'Beautiful Six' as hostage debate intensifies

TEL AVIV, Israel — On Saturday, Israelis commemorated the one-year anniversary of IDF soldiers recovering the bodies of six hostages who were executed by Hamas terrorists in a Gaza Strip tunnel.

Nearly 100,000 people gathered in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, according to organizers, to honor them, as family members urged the government to negotiate their loved ones’ return. A massive flag was displayed with a message urging President Trump to “Make History.”

The executions sent Israel into a state of mourning. The hostages were Eden Yerushalmi, Ori Danino, Carmel Gat, Almog Sarusi, Alexander Lobanov, and American-Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin.

“How do you encapsulate in a few words what you want to be remembered about your only son? He was a gift, a blessing, a talented listener, funny, respectful, and a curious citizen of the world,” shared Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg-Polin, Hersh’s parents, with Fox News Digital.

tOld Fox News Digital that his Yesh Atid party endorses “a full comprehensive deal that will encompass the return of all hostages and an end to the war.

“If such a deal isn’t feasible,” he added, “then Israel should agree to the partial deal that has been settled on to provide us time to reach a full agreement.”

Netanyahu told visiting Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, on Monday that the decision to expand the military campaign was “unequivocal.”

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