Mother of Hamas Hostage Pleads for Return of Son

Rachel Goldberg-Polin, mother of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, discusses the hostage situation in Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas war on 'Fox News Sunday.' She urges the U.S. to not be considered a "neutral negotiator" and calls for creative solutions to end the hostage crisis.

Rachel Goldberg-Polin, the mother of 23-year-old American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, one of the 132 hostages held by Hamas militants in Gaza, aired her frustrations and concerns on "Fox News Sunday." She emphasized the urgency of resolving the hostage crisis, which has been ongoing for over 219 days.

Goldberg-Polin expressed her disappointment with the lack of progress in negotiations and criticized the U.S. for not doing enough to prioritize the safety and release of the hostages. She argued that the U.S. was not only a "neutral negotiator" but also a "victim" of the October 7th attack that led to the hostage-taking.

She highlighted the plight of all the hostages, regardless of nationality or background, and expressed her disbelief that many of them, including Muslims, Arabs, and others, were not receiving the same level of attention in the media.

Goldberg-Polin passionately defended her son's innocence, emphasizing that she and her family were living in constant fear and worry about his well-being. She pointed out that the oldest hostage was an 86-year-old grandfather and the youngest was a one-and-a-half-year-old child.

Benjamin Hall, a Fox News correspondent, inquired about Goldberg-Polin's views on a potential Israeli invasion of Rafah. She admitted to not having the expertise to provide a military perspective, but reiterated her primary concern as a mother who was deeply worried about her son's safety.

The October 7th attack claimed the lives of around 1,200 people, primarily civilians, and resulted in the capture of 250 hostages. Despite ongoing negotiations, both a ceasefire and hostage release remained elusive.

Israeli forces, pursuing their objective to dismantle Hamas and rescue hostages, pushed further into Rafah, battling Hamas in areas previously cleared. International warnings against a wide-scale offensive in Rafah continued, as it was the last refuge for over a million civilians.

Approximately 300,000 people had fled Rafah following evacuation orders from Israel, citing the necessity to dismantle Hamas and return the hostages taken during the October 7th attack.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated his opposition to a large-scale military assault on Rafah, expressing concerns about the consequences for Israel and the need for an exit strategy and postwar governance plan.

The Associated Press contributed to this report, providing additional details on the ongoing conflict and the international community's response.