The Israeli soldier had been killed and his body was abducted during a ceasefire in 2014
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Forensic experts from the L. Greenberg National Institute of Forensic Medicine in Abu Kabir confirmed the identification of Lieutenant Hadar Goldin's remains, returned from Gaza.
Goldin, a platoon commander in the Givati Brigade, was killed by Hamas terrorists during the 2014 war. His return, eleven years later, closes an open wound in Israeli society.
The body was handed over by the Red Cross and received with military honors. Among the soldiers who carried the coffin were reservists who had fought alongside Goldin in 2014, when he was kidnapped during a humanitarian truce violated by Hamas in Rafah.
The Army Chief, Gen. Eyal Zamir, together with the parents of Hadar Goldin
The Prime Minister and senior Army officials expressed their condolences and highlighted the officer's bravery, whose story became a national symbol of sacrifice and commitment.
The Goldin family, who for years led an intense campaign for the return of the bodies of soldiers held by Hamas, thanked the efforts of the State of Israel.
"An entire country was waiting for Hadar's return", they stated in a release. "We salute those who participated in this national mission."
Goldin's abduction and murder occurred just hours after the United States and the UN announced a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Meanwhile, as Goldin's unit was working to dismantle terrorist tunnels in Rafah, a group of Hamas fighters emerged from one of them, killed two soldiers, and took Goldin. A few days later, the Israel Defense Forces determined that he had been killed before being captured.
Although a symbolic funeral with partial remains was held in 2014, the country never stopped demanding the return of the body. The confirmation of his recovery also represents a message of solve in the face of terrorism and unwavering support for the families of the fallen and kidnapped.
In parallel, senior Israeli officials anticipated that international pressure, especially from the United States, could attempt to moderate Israel's stance regarding the terrorists still hiding in the Rafah tunnels. However, the government reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that Hamas doesn't use those tunnels again to attack Israeli civilians.
The return of Hadar Goldin not only closes a chapter of pain; it also reaffirms Israel's determination to bring all its soldiers home and to continue fighting for the country's security and dignity in the face of terrorism.
