Thousands gather to say goodbye to hostage killed in Gaza
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00:00The Israeli president hugs the father of Hirsch Goldberg-Pollen at the 23-year-old hostage's
00:06funeral.
00:08Thousands of mourners massed in front of the Jerusalem cemetery while Hirsch's family
00:12said goodbye.
00:13For 23 years I was privileged to have the most stunning honor to be Hirsch's mama.
00:22I'll take it and say thank you.
00:25I just wish it had been for longer.
00:29Hirsch's U.S.-born parents said they hoped his death might at least be a turning point
00:34in drawn-out negotiations for a ceasefire.
00:37They'd spent nearly a year advocating for the hostages, addressing the U.N. and the
00:42Democratic National Convention.
00:44Hirsch, we failed you.
00:47We all failed you.
00:50You would not have failed you.
00:53You would have pushed harder for justice.
00:55You would have worked to understand the other, to bridge differences.
00:59Abducted by Hamas on October 7th at the Nova Festival, Hirsch was one of six hostages whose
01:05bodies were retrieved from Gaza over the weekend following 11 months of captivity.
01:10Autopsies determined the hostages were shot at close range and died on Thursday or Friday,
01:16shortly before Israeli soldiers discovered them in the tunnel where they were held.
01:20As the president of the state of Israel, I want to say how sorry I am.
01:25How sorry I am that we didn't protect Hirsch on that dark day.
01:31How sorry I am that we failed to bring him home.
01:35In the last couple of weeks, Israeli forces have brought home 13 Israeli hostages, but
01:39only one alive.
01:41The deaths have sparked mass protests in Israel, with many blaming the government for dragging
01:46out ceasefire and hostage-release talks.
01:49Asked whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was doing enough to reach a deal,
01:54the US president responded, no, without elaborating.