Keir Starmer condemns the “cruel and senseless” killing of six hostages in Gaza and reiterates his call for a ceasefire to “end the suffering”.

Sir Keir Starmer has condemned the “cruel and senseless” killing of six hostages in the Gaza Strip and reiterated his call for a ceasefire.

The British Prime Minister delivered his heartfelt message on the Internet portal X following the discovery of six Israeli hostages found dead in a Rafah tunnel on Saturday – just a day before three of them were due to be released in a prisoner exchange.

Starmer wrote: “I am deeply shocked by the cruel and senseless killing of six hostages in Gaza by Hamas. My thoughts are with their families at this terrible time.”

“Hamas must immediately release all hostages and all sides must immediately agree to a ceasefire to end the suffering.”

The hostages' remains were recovered “from an underground tunnel in the Rafah area” after the group had been in captivity for 11 months following their abduction by Palestinian militants during the October 7 massacre.

Sir Keir Starmer condemned the “cruel” killing of six Israeli hostages on Channel X after their bodies were discovered by the Israeli army in a tunnel in the Gaza Strip on Saturday.

Hersh Goldberg-Polin is one of six hostages whose bodies were recovered on Saturday. He was one of the victims taken hostage by Hamas during the October 7 massacre.

Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg, parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, are pictured with their son

Alex Lobanov, 26, was the festival’s head barman

“Hersh, Carmel and Eden were all on the list of hostages to be released under the July 2 ceasefire proposal presented by Biden. We could have saved them,” a senior Hamas official said.

Military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari added that the hostages were “brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists” shortly before they were discovered by Israeli troops – possibly just a day or two before their discovery.

The military named the dead as Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an Israeli-American citizen, Eden Yerushalmi, 24, Carmel Gat, 39, Almog Sarusi, 26, Alex Lubnov, 26, and Master Sergeant Ori Danino, 25.

They were among 251 hostages kidnapped during Palestinian militants' attack on southern Israel on October 7. The Times of Israel reported that autopsies showed that the hostages were murdered in the past 48 hours.

David Lammy, Foreign Secretary, Minister for Commonwealth Affairs and Development, echoed Starmer's message on X and called for the immediate release of all hostages.

“The UK condemns in the strongest possible terms the horrific murder of six innocent hostages by Hamas in the Gaza Strip,” he wrote.

“I offer my deepest condolences to those who are grieving at this terrible time. Hamas must immediately release all hostages and all sides must accept the deal on the table to end this war.”

On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also vowed to “settle accounts” with Hamas after the military discovered the bodies of the hostages.

“Those who kill hostages do not want an agreement” for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Netanyahu said in a statement, telling Hamas leaders: “We will hunt you down, we will catch you and we will settle the score.”

He added that “those who kill hostages do not want an agreement” for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

According to Netanyahu, “the fact that Hamas continues to commit atrocities like those of October 7 obliges us to do everything in our power to ensure that this is no longer possible,” referring to the Palestinian group's unprecedented attack on a music festival in southern Israel that sparked the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.

Netanyahu also expressed his sadness for the hostages whose bodies were recovered from Gaza and accused Hamas of “unimaginable cruelty”.

“Like all citizens of Israel, I was deeply shocked by the horrific cold-blooded murder of six of our abductees,” he said.

“I say to the Hamas terrorists who murdered our abductees and I say to their leaders: Your blood is on your head. We will not rest and we will not be silent. We will pursue you, we will catch you and we will hold you accountable.”

Almog Sarusi, 26, was enjoying the party when Hamas terrorists attacked

Eden Yerushalmi was also kidnapped from the Nova music festival

Carmel Gat visited her family in Kibbutz Be'eri on October 7

Ori Danino was captured by Hamas at the Nova Music Festival on October 7.

But senior Hamas official Izzat El-Reshiq said Israel was responsible for the deaths by refusing to sign a ceasefire.

Hamas has so far denied any responsibility for the deaths of the hostages and said the hostages were killed by “Zionist bombings.”

The BBC had previously been heavily criticised for giving a platform to a Palestinian leader who celebrated the October 7 massacre live on Radio 4's World at One programme on Wednesday, calling it a “glorious day”.

Following Saturday's tragic discovery, Israeli President Isaac Herzog paid tribute on X (formerly Twitter) to the six hostages who lost their lives in a devastating manner.

“The heart of an entire nation has been torn to pieces… On behalf of the State of Israel, I embrace their families with all my heart and apologize for not being able to bring them home safely.”

Herzog also defiantly reiterated that Israel will continue to fight “relentlessly” against Hamas.

“The blood of our brothers cries out to us. Our sisters and brothers are still there, enduring hell. The highest bond between the state and its citizens is to ensure their safety. We have a sacred and urgent mission to bring them home,” he concluded the post.

US President Joe Biden also sent a message saying he was “devastated and outraged” by the deaths.

“It is as tragic as it is reprehensible. Don't worry, the Hamas leaders will pay for these crimes,” he said.

“And we will continue to work around the clock to reach an agreement that will ensure the release of the remaining hostages.”

The Hostage and Missing Persons Families Forum expressed its sadness over the recent deaths and called for a ceasefire.

“Without the delays, sabotage and excuses, the people whose deaths we learned of this morning would probably still be alive,” the campaign group said.

The body of 23-year-old Hersh Goldberg-Polin was recovered from a tunnel beneath the Gaza city of Rafah on Saturday, ten months after he was kidnapped in the atrocity that left 1,200 people dead.

“It is with broken hearts that the Goldberg-Polin family announces the passing of their beloved son and brother, Hersh,” the family said in a statement.

“The family thanks you all for your love and support and asks for privacy during this time.”

Confirmation of all deaths was transmitted by Israel on X.

All six hostages were kidnapped at the Supernova music festival in southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Pictured: Palestinians transport a captured Israeli civilian (center) from Kibbutz Kfar Azza to the Gaza Strip on October 7.

Dramatic bodycam footage shows a terrorist group in khaki pants traveling in a convoy on motorcycles on October 7

The aftermath of an attack by Hamas fighters on the Supernova music festival on October 9

Five of those rescued had been attending the Nova music festival when Hamas terrorists began slaughtering festival-goers and taking others hostage. Gat was in her family's kibbutz when she was captured.

Goldberg-Polin lost his arm when a grenade exploded during the bloodbath.

Israeli officials said it took “many hours” to identify the remains of the three men and three women recovered, Axios reported.

Just last month, Goldberg-Polin's parents Jon and Rachel spoke at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago and pleaded for their son's safe return.

Through tears, Rachel said, “Hersh, if you can hear us, we love you. Stay strong and survive.”

Goldberg-Polin was born in Berkeley, California. His family moved to Richmond, Virginia, and immigrated to Israel in 2008, when Goldberg-Polin was seven years old.

At the time of his kidnapping, the Hamas victim was said to have been working on a soccer program designed to bring Israeli and Palestinian children together.

The brutal war between Israel and Hamas broke out on October 7, when the Palestinian Islamist group attacked an Israeli music festival in southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages, according to Israeli sources.

At least 40,691 Palestinians have been killed and 94,060 injured in Israel's counter-offensives in the Gaza Strip, the enclave's Hamas-run health ministry said in a statement on Saturday.