Who is Hersh Goldberg-Polin? California man sent alarming text to parents before going missing from Israeli rave
GAZA CITY, GAZA: American man Hersh Golberg-Polin sent a chilling text message to his parents just moments before a brutal surprise attack by Hamas terrorists at a desert rave in Israel.
As the war between Israel and Palestine escalates, the whereabouts and safety of 23-year-old Hersh remain unknown, leaving his family fearing for his life.
NEW: 23 year old American citizen Hersh Golberg-Polin is missing after sending his parents a chilling message as Hamas terrorists paraglided into the desert rave in southern Israel.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) October 8, 2023
His parents are fearing the worst.
In a text message to his mom and dad, Golberg-Polin wrote: “I… pic.twitter.com/2QcbnwRVnp
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine has taken a perilous turn, with Hamas, a Palestinian militant group controlling the Gaza Strip, launching a multi-front attack on Israel. Thousands of rockets rained down on Israeli cities and captivity of over 150 hostages over the weekend.
Israel, in response, bombed Gaza, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu officially declaring war against Hamas. The ongoing fighting has resulted in a significant loss of life, with the death toll reaching around 1,100 while violence continues to erupt in cities.
Where is Hersh Golberg-Polin?
In a heart-wrenching moment, Hersh Golberg-Polin, originally from Berkeley, California, sent a text message to his mother and father at 8.11 am on Saturday. The message, which simply read, "I love you, I'm sorry," was transmitted moments before the Hamas attack began.
Hamas soldiers paraglided into a rave party while everyone stands by wondering what is happening, moments before they open fire.#Israel #Palestina #Hamas #IDF #IsraelUnderAttack #IsraelPalestineWar #Palestine #PalestineUnderAttack #WarNews pic.twitter.com/o3CcVlJsaW
— War Report (@cveks) October 8, 2023
Born in California, Hersh's family had moved to Jerusalem when he was just seven years old.
Hersh's parents, Jonathan and Rachel, are now gripped with fear and uncertainty as they have no information about their son's whereabouts. They last saw Hersh at 11 pm on the night before the attacks commenced.
He had attended religious services with them and had dinner to celebrate the Simhat Torah holiday.
Hersh Golberg-Polin parent's plea for his well-being
Hersh had been attending an all-night "nature party" near Kibbutz Re'im, not far from the Gaza Strip when the event was infiltrated and ambushed by Palestinian terrorists.
Jonathan, Hersh's father, conveyed a heartfelt plea, saying, "We just want him home and safe. We love you. Come home to us," reported Daily Mail. Hersh, who had recently completed his army service and worked as a waiter, had been saving money for a dream trip to India.
The situation has become extremely volatile, making it too dangerous for Hersh's parents to travel and search for their son.
With the conflict escalating on both sides and a high level of uncertainty, authorities are engaged in ongoing efforts to locate and ensure the safety of citizens caught in the midst of the conflict.