The parents of a Berkeley-born 23-year-old spoke publicly Tuesday in Israel hoping that their son would return home safely after his arm was blown off and he was taken hostage.
Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who moved to Israel from Berkeley in 2008, had attended the Saturday music festival with three other friends near Kibbutz Re-eim by the Gaza strip, when they were all taken by Hamas militants, his parents said.Speaking at a news conference at the Carlton hotel, his father, Jon Polin, said his son and friends fled to a bomb shelter when the "masked gunman attacked."
"As grenades were being thrown in, they were tossing them back out," Polin said, adding that they were told of his son's actions by other eyewitnesses. "We know his arm was severed from the elbow-down, blown off," his mother, Rachel Goldberg, said. "They were fish in a barrel." And then Hamas told the group in the bomb shelter, anyone who can walk, let's move, his mother recounted.His last-known cell phone signal was on the border with Gaza, she said. Goldberg described her son's last words, albeit written in a text.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Berkeley rabbi's nephew killed in IsraelPeople in Berkeley gathered together on Monday evening to stand in solidarity with Israel.
Read more »
Distraught parents of Thai seized in Israel plead: 'help the hostages'When 26-year-old Natthaporn Onkaew headed for Israel two years ago to join thousands of fellow Thai migrants and take a job as a farm worker, his father warned him not to go.
Read more »
Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone worried about stranded parents' safety in IsraelAlex Anzalone played Sunday with his mind focused on another situation.
Read more »
NFL star, Pa. native’s parents trapped in Jerusalem as Israel-Hamas war ramps upHigh School Sports
Read more »
'You're being so brave': Mercer Island parents remain hopeful as their daughter is in IsraelKayla Gabay moved to Israel 10 years ago after she decided to volunteer for the Israeli army. She still lives there with her husband and their 10-month-old son.
Read more »