U.S. Democrats urge Israel-Hamas ceasefire after dead hostages recovered

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Several U.S. Democratic lawmakers renewed calls for an Israeli-Hamas ceasefire on Sunday in reaction to the killing of six hostages in a tunnel under Gaza, while Republicans criticized President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for not giving stronger support to Israel.

Israel recovered the bodies of six hostages from a tunnel in Gaza where they were apparently killed shortly before its troops reached them, triggering Israeli protests on Sunday and planned strikes over the failure to save them.

The military said the bodies of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who is an Israeli-American citizen, Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi and Ori Danino have been returned to Israel.

U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with Goldberg-Polin's parents, Rachel Goldberg and Jon Polin, who appeared at the Democratic National Convention last month, to offer condolences, a White House official said.

U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan held a virtual meeting on Sunday with the families of the American hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.

Sullivan discussed the ongoing diplomatic push to drive toward a deal that secures the release of the remaining hostages, the White House said.

Democratic U.S. Senator Dick Durbin said in a post on X that he was "heartbroken and devastated" by the news of Goldberg-Polin's death, echoing sentiments of other U.S. officials and lawmakers.

"A ceasefire must be reached immediately that allows all remaining hostages to be released, humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza, and an elusive and neglected long-term vision for peace and stability to become a reality," said Durbin, the second-ranking Senate Democrat.

Jonathan Dekel-Chen, whose son Sagui is another hostage with American