Shocking video shows American-Israeli hostage captured by Hamas loses his hand in grenade attack

A video obtained by CNN shows the shocking moment when Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an American-Israeli citizen, was captured by Hamas militants after losing his arm in a grenade attack.

Hersh, 23, was attending the Tribe of Nova music festival in the Negev desert on Oct. 7, when Hamas terrorists stormed the event and opened fire. Hersh and about 27 others took shelter in a reinforced bunker, but the terrorists threw grenades inside, killing Hersh’s friend, Aner Shapira, who tried to throw them back.

One of the grenades blew off Hersh’s left arm, leaving a bloody bone sticking out. The video, filmed by an Israeli soldier who arrived later at the scene, shows Hersh being dragged by several Hamas fighters into a truck under gunpoint. He looks stunned and pale, but manages to climb into the truck with his remaining arm.

CNN’s Anderson Cooper said he discovered the video while interviewing Hersh’s parents, Rachel Goldberg and Jon Polin, live from their home in Israel last week. He sent them the video, and they confirmed that it was their son.

“It’s horrible to see your kid like that, but he was so composed. He walked on his own legs, he pulled himself up with his one weak hand. That gave me strength,” Polin said.

Goldberg added, “I think he was in shock.”

Hersh is one of around 200 hostages taken by Hamas into Gaza two weeks ago. His parents, who moved from the US to Israel more than a decade ago, flew to New York on Tuesday to appeal to the United Nations for help.

“We have to keep running to the end of the Earth to save him. We have to believe that he got treatment and he’s alive,” Goldberg cited.

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But they also admitted that they sometimes lose hope. "There are moments when you say, ‘Maybe he died on the truck, maybe he bled out, maybe he died yesterday, maybe he died five minutes ago.’ "

The parents showed Cooper Hersh’s bedroom, which doubles as a bomb shelter with a steel door. They said they still perform the Shabbat ritual for him every Friday.

“I stand on the porch and scream the blessing to him with my hands up,” Goldberg shared tearfully.

They also praised Shapira, who died defending Hersh and others in the bunker.

“He threw out eight of the 11 grenades that were thrown in. He’s the real hero,” Goldberg said.

As the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues, Hersh’s family is urging world leaders to act for their son and other wounded captives.

“The US has been supportive and empathetic, but we want more, we want action. There are hostages from about 30 countries. Why are global leaders not screaming to get them help?” Polin said.

Goldberg said she recently spoke with President Joe Biden for 90 minutes along with other affected American families.

Biden, who lost his first wife, daughter and son in tragic circumstances, shared their pain.

“It was a coming-together of people who know what pain is,” she said.

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Goldberg expressed, "There's no playbook for this" as they await updates on Hersh's condition. She added, "We're on the head of a pin, and every direction you fall is a bad direction. So we're just trying to balance on the head of the pin."

Describing Hersh, his parents painted a picture of a "curious kid" whose love for travel began at an early age. At the time he was taken hostage, Hersh was eagerly anticipating his upcoming journey to India scheduled for December 27.

Goldberg remains hopeful that Hersh will return to them and eventually embark on that long-anticipated trip, as she optimistically stated, "And he will go on that trip, with one hand."

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