Florida Senator Rick Scott issued a strong statement Sunday condemning Hamas after the bodies of several hostages, including American citizen Hersh Goldberg-Polin, were recovered in a Rafah tunnel.
Scott labeled Hamas terrorists as “monsters” who brutally murdered innocent people, including Hersh, who had been held captive since October 7, 2023.
“It makes me sick to think of how their families must feel, knowing their loved one was in captivity for so long, hoping they would one day come home alive,” Scott said.
Read: IDF Recovers Bodies Of Six Israeli Hostages Executed By Hamas In Rafah Tunnel
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) recovered the bodies of six Israeli hostages from a tunnel in Rafah on September 1. According to Israeli security sources, Hamas executed the hostages two to three days before they were found.
An IDF spokesperson stated that the hostages were killed by Hamas guards “shortly before IDF forces reached them.”
The Israeli forces did not encounter any Palestinian fighters inside or near the tunnels during the operation to discover and recover the hostages. The hostages were located just one kilometer from where Israeli forces had rescued another hostage, Farhan al Qadi, on August 27.
Read: Senior IRGC Quds Force Commander Reaffirms Iran’s Support For Hamas’ Ceasefire Demands
Hamas responded by blaming Israel for the deaths, claiming that Israel’s failure to agree to a ceasefire ultimately led to the killings.
However, Hamas terrorists did not deny responsibility for executing the hostages.
While expressing gratitude to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers who recovered the bodies, Sen. Scott shared his heartbreak that the reunion these families hoped for did not occur.
Scott also highlighted that Hamas continues to hold other hostages 331 days after the initial abductions, emphasizing the need to destroy the terrorist group and ensure the safe return of all remaining captives.
Read: Alan Dershowitz: Israel’s Preemptive Attack On Hezbollah Might Have Prevented A Wider War
“These evil people MUST be destroyed, and every hostage, no matter what, must be returned home,” Scott said Sunday in a social post.
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