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Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg, parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin held hostage by Hamas in Gaza since Oct. 7, took to the podium at the DNC calling for a cease-fire deal so that the 109 remaining Hamas hostages can return home.
Polin and Goldberg have taken to wearing a piece of tape with the number of days their son has been held captive written in marker and placed on their chest. Today it read: 320.
Goldberg struggled to speak as the crowd chanted "Bring them home!"
She recounted how Goldberg-Polin, 23, was kidnapped while at the Nova music festival on Oct. 7 and lost an arm in the process. His parents have spent the months following that attack advocating for a deal to be reached and for the hostages to be returned home.
They reminded the emotional and silent crowd that Goldberg-Polin is one of a number of Americans still held hostage by Hamas.
Bringing the hostages home "is not a political issue, it is a humanitarian issue," Polin said. He said President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are "working tirelessly" to reach a cease-fire deal that will bring the hostages home "and will stop the despair in Gaza."
The Israel-Hamas war is a major issue at the convention with pro-Palestinian protesters marching in Chicago this week demanding a cease-fire and that Biden end support for Israel. The latest round of cease-fire negotiations wrapped before the convention.
"There is a surplus of agony on all sides of the tragic conflict of the Middle East. In a competition of pain there are no winners," Polin said.
Watch their full remarks:
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