The IDF recovered the bodies of six hostages from tunnels in Gaza on Saturday, prompting an international outpouring of grief and frustration.

As the families and friends of the slain hostages prepared for and attended their funerals, hundreds of thousands of Israelis took to the streets of Tel Aviv to demand a ceasefire deal with Hamas, bringing the heavy-hearted nation to a standstill.

But who were the six hostages who survived nearly a year of captivity before being murdered at the hands of Hamas just days before their discovery by the IDF?

Here is what the JC knows about Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, Eden Yerushalmi, Ori Danino, and Carmel Gat, whose deaths were confirmed on Sunday.

Hersh Goldberg-Polin

Described by his mother Rachel Goldberg as a “happy-go-lucky, laidback, good humoured, respectful and curious person,” Hersh, 23, became one of the most recognisable faces of the hostage crisis, thanks in large part to the persistent efforts of his parents to keep his plight at the fore of the international news cycle.

An American citizen, Hersh was born in Berkeley, California before moving to Richmond, Virginia and later emigrating to Israel at the age of seven with his parents and two younger sisters.

Hersh was an avid fan of the Hapoel Jerusalem basketball and soccer teams, loved music and had been fascinated by geography since he was a little boy, according to his mother, who said he developed an abiding interest in travel.

Prior to his kidnapping from the Nova festival on October 7, Hersh had been saving “every penny” for a trip around the world, for which he had already bought tickets. On December 27, the day he had been scheduled to leave, his mother went to the airport and passed out stickers of Hersh to passengers on his flight, asking them to send photos from the places they visited.

Hersh’s parents Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg made numerous public appeals for his release, appearing on the cover of Time Magazine earlier this year and even speaking at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago last month to share his story.

“Anyone who is a parent or has had a parent can try to imagine the anguish and misery that Jon and I and all the hostage families are enduring,” Rachel said at the DNC.

Alexander Lobanov

A father of two from Ashkelon, Alexander, 32, was described by his wife Michal as “the best father and the best husband” during her eulogy at his funeral on Sunday.

Alexander, who also held Russian citizenship, was father to a two-year-old and a five-month-old baby, who was born during his time in captivity. In her eulogy, Michal praised Alexander's love of life and freedom, promising to raise their children in accordance with his values.

Known to be a caring friend, Alexander had a matching Three Musketeers-themed tattoo with two of his closest friends, according to news source Politically Correct. 

Politically Correct reported that he volunteered at Yedidim, an organisation which helps people with car troubles.

During his funeral, Michal called Alexander the “Love of my life,” adding: “It is really true that God takes the best.”

“You were the best father in the world, the best person that I knew… Thank you for the merit of being a mother and being your wife.

“[I’m] sorry for not succeeding in bringing you back. I’m sorry I let you go to that accursed party. I should have insisted that you stay at home and not go. I’m sorry I didn’t insist, I’m sorry I didn’t manage to bring you back alive,” Michal said.

On October 7, Alexander was kidnapped from the Nova festival, where he had been working as a bar manager. According to testimonies from those present, Alex helped several people evacuate the festival, though he was ultimately captured in the Be’eri forest, where he had been taking cover with five others.

Almog Sarusi

Described by the Hostage and Missing Families Forum as “a vibrant, positive person who loved travelling around Israel in his white jeep with his guitar,” Almog, 27, was kidnapped from the Nova festival, where his girlfriend of five years, Shahar, was murdered.

He stayed with her, trying to save her, and was subsequently captured.

Almog was laid to rest by his parents Yigal and Nira and brother Amit in Ra'anana, where he was from.

“My dear son, my beloved,” his mother Nira cried at his funeral on Sunday evening. “How much did we pray to hug you, to see your smile.”

“I hoped to see you happy, surrounded by family and friends, but you were abandoned day by day. You were abandoned on the altar of destroying Hamas, the Philadelphi corridor, Rafah…

“If only we would be the last. We need a deal now to free the hostages,” she said. 

Sarusi was reportedly well known among Israeli musicians because he operated the light and sound systems at concerts, and he was loved for his wit and infectious smile.

Eden Yerushalmi

Tel Aviv-born Eden was a “vibrant young woman with many friends and hobbies”, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum and was studying to become a pilates instructor.

Eden, 24, spoke with her sisters May and Shani on the phone for four hours during Hamas’ siege on the Nova festival, where she was working as a bartender, until she was eventually discovered by terrorists and taken hostage. The last words her family heard were: "Shani, they've caught me."

At her funeral on Sunday, Eden’s mother, Shirit, said: “I will miss our time together on the balcony. You were not just my daughter; you were my best friend. I waited 330 days for you to return, and I would wait another 330 days for you to come back alive. Yesterday was my birthday, and I wished that I would meet you and that you would return, but not like this.”

Ori Danino

The eldest of five siblings, Ori, 25, was known for his “ambition” and his “love for people”, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, and also “loved nature and was very handy”.

Ori, who was from Jerusalem, had plans to begin his academic studies in electrical engineering. On October 7, he was kidnapped from the Nova festival while driving back to help others escape and survive.

His girlfriend Liel Avraham called him a “hero” for the sacrifice he made on that day to save the lives of others.

His father told the Army Radio that on October 7, his son “turned around and came back to save Itay and Maya Regev and Omer Shem Tov,” before their car was subsequently halted by a Hamas vehicle. Maya and Itay were released from captivity in November. Omer is still being held captive by Hamas.

At Ori’s funeral, his brother Aharon said: “In the last 330 days, I didn’t find any reason to smile. I didn’t find anything to hold onto or anyone to trust, apart from God. You were the pillar of the home, of your friends, and of myself.

“You always ensured that I would feel protected, safe — that no matter what, you would always be there to help and protect.”

Carmel Gat

Carmel, an occupational therapist, was “always finding ways to support and help others”, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

From Tel Aviv, Carmel, 40, loved solo travel, meeting new people, and live rock music concerts – she was particularly fond of Radiohead.

She was kidnapped whilst staying at her parents’ home on Kibbutz Be’eri, where terrorists broke in and kidnapped her, murdering her mother, Kinneret. Carmel's brother, sister-in-law, and three-and-a-half-year-old niece were also captured, although her brother and niece managed to escape their captors. Gat’s sister-in-law, Yarden Roman-Gat, was released after 54 days of captivity.

After the first hostage release in November, Carmel’s family received testimonies from returned hostages, who described her as their “guardian angel”, teaching them meditation and yoga exercises to cope with their captivity.

In January, Haaretz reported that Carmel’s closest friends had been holding regular yoga classes in her honour, and also created a Spotify playlist of her favourite songs, calling it “a humorous, eclectic mix”.

“I remember us coming back to the kibbutz on weekends, putting music on and dancing,” Adi Zohar, a classmate, told Haaretz. “That’s her. Making a party out of things. Taking it easy.”