As Slain American-Israeli Hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin Is Buried, Hamas Leader Threatens to Kill Others

JERUSALEM, Israel – A difficult day in Israel as one of the most well-known of the Hamas-held hostages in Gaza – Hersh Goldberg-Polin – was laid to rest just days after his brutal murder and that of five other hostages at the hands of Hamas, deep in a tunnel below Rafah.

Thousands of Israelis streamed to Hersh's Jerusalem funeral in disbelief that he was really gone. His mother Rachel spoke to her slain son.

"I know you're right here. I just have to teach myself how to feel you in a different way," she said. "And Hersh, there's one last thing I need you to do for us. Now, I need you to help us stay strong, and I need you to help us survive."

Israeli President Isaac Herzog addressed the funeral of the dual U.S.-Israeli citizen who had become a symbol of the battle to free the hostages. "How sorry I am that we didn't protect Hersh on that dark day," Herzog apologized. "How sorry I am that we failed to bring him home."

The president added, "He has changed our world and woven his essence of light and love into the story of the Jewish people and into our human story, forever."

Rachel Goldberg-Polin said she and her family had been convinced her son would come home alive. "For 23 years, I was privileged to have the most stunning honor to be Hersh's mama," she shared. "I'll take it and say thank you. I just wish it had been for longer."

Hersh's father Jon also shared his grief, but a hope as well. "For 330 days, Mama and I sought the proverbial stone that we could turn over to save you. Maybe, just maybe your death is the stone, the fuel that will bring home the remaining 101 hostages."

Hersh and five other Israelis were murdered as Israeli soldiers were approaching to free them. 

Hamas began releasing the last messages of the six Israelis just killed. The terror group says it's given new orders to those guarding the captives. Spokesmen didn't specify the orders but a graphic indicated that "military pressure would lead to death and failure."

President Joe Biden on Monday blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for not doing enough to get a ceasefire deal that might free the hostages.

When a reporter asked Biden if he thought the prime minister was doing enough, Biden answered, "No."

At a press conference Monday evening. Netanyahu addressed the nation, saying that Hamas was blocking the deal and that he's more committed to freeing the hostages than anyone.

"Nobody should preach to me about this," Netanyahu said emphatically. 

WATCH: Biden Blames Netanyahu

Hamas now claims it's rejecting an agreement because Netanyahu refuses to give up his demand that Israeli troops stay on the Philadelphi Corridor that links Gaza to Egypt. "This is the oxygen and armament of Hamas," the prime minister explained.

He insists that without IDF troops to guard the corridor, Hamas will use it for sneaking in weapons to rearm itself and forever threaten Israel. "This corridor is different from other corridors, from other places. It is central, it determines our entire future," Netanyahu asserted.

The hostages' deaths sparked massive country-wide protests over the captivity of the remaining hostages and the brutal deaths of those murdered. However, strikes called by union leaders and one hostage families group largely fizzled Monday after a court ruled them to be illegal.

Still, many demonstrators took to the streets to protest the government's refusal to reach a ceasefire that frees the hostages, no matter the cost. Jerusalem protester Avi Lavi said, "The time has come to stand and to wake up, to do everything for the hostages to come back alive."

Others protested against the protesters, insisting they help Hamas and harm Israel. Jerusalem resident Yitzhak Ben Yishai argued, "The thing that they are doing now is destroying the unity of the people of Israel."

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