In a significant development concluding an agonizing eleven-year chapter, Israel has officially received the remains of Lt. Hadar Goldin, a soldier killed by the Hamas terrorist group in 2014. The Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem confirmed the repatriation on Sunday, bringing a measure of closure to a nation and a family that had campaigned relentlessly for his return.
A Long-Awaited Return
Lt. Hadar Goldin was just 23 years old when he was killed and abducted by Hamas militants in the Gaza city of Rafah. The incident occurred on August 1, 2014, a mere two hours after a ceasefire had been declared during the conflict known as Operation Protective Edge. His body had been held hostage for 4,118 days.
According to statements, Hamas claimed it found Goldin's remains in a tunnel in Rafah on Saturday. The transfer was facilitated via the International Committee of the Red Cross. A coffin containing the remains was handed over to a combined force of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) inside the Gaza Strip.
The Official Response and National Grief
The return was met with a solemn military ceremony upon the coffin's arrival in Israel, attended by IDF Chief Rabbi Brig. Gen. Eyal Moshe Kri. The body was subsequently transferred to the Health Ministry's National Institute of Forensic Medicine in Abu Kabir, Tel Aviv, for formal identification, which was completed by Sunday evening.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog expressed the nation's sentiment on social media, stating, "After 11 long and painful years, too long, Lt. Hadar Goldin, a hero of Israel, has today been returned to his homeland." He praised the Goldin family's unwavering strength and relentless struggle to bring their son home. The Prime Minister's Office echoed this, sharing in the "deep sorrow of the Goldin family" and reaffirming Israel's commitment to repatriate the remaining hostages.
The Unfinished Mission: Four Hostages Remain
While Goldin's return marks a critical moment, the Israeli government emphasized that its mission is not complete. The bodies of four more individuals are still being held captive in Gaza. They are three Israeli citizens—Meny Godard, Sgt. Ran Gvili, and Dror Or—and Sudthisak Rinthalak, a Thai national who was working in agriculture in Israel.
The Prime Minister's Office stated that Israel is determined, committed and working tirelessly to bring these slain hostages back for burial. It also called on Hamas to "fulfill its commitments to the mediators and return them as part of the implementation of the agreement." The resolution of this painful saga also involved international efforts, with President Isaac Herzog thanking former U.S. President Donald Trump and his team for their role in the process.
