Israel buries officer held by Hamas for 11 years

Hundreds of Israelis gathered on Tuesday in Kfar Saba to lay to rest army officer Lieutenant Hadar Goldin, whose remains were returned by Hamas after being held in Gaza for more than a decade.

Crowds packed the military cemetery, with some climbing onto rooftops for a glimpse, while others watched from outdoor screens. Israeli flags fluttered in the wind as mourners held Goldin’s portrait and banners reading: “We will remember forever.”

Goldin’s remains were returned on Sunday under a Gaza ceasefire deal brokered by US President Donald Trump, closing an agonising 11-year ordeal for his family and the nation, AFP revealed.

His father, Simcha Goldin, hailed his son as a “Jewish warrior,” urging mourners to “behave righteously and do not hate one another. That is Hadar’s legacy.”

Goldin, 23, was killed on August 1, 2014, during Israel’s Operation Protective Edge. He was leading a mission to destroy Hamas tunnels when he was ambushed and killed, with his body seized shortly after a brief humanitarian truce.

His twin brother, Tzur Goldin, described Hamas’s hostage-taking as an attempt “to weaken Israeli society,” adding that the family’s struggle reflects Israel’s founding principle: never leaving anyone behind.

Some parts of Goldin’s body had been recovered in 2014, and repeated attempts to retrieve the rest through previous prisoner exchanges failed, prolonging the family’s grief.

“It’s some kind of relief because he’s been there for more than 11 years,” said Aharon Gamzu, a resident of Kfar Saba.

Since the truce in the latest Gaza conflict came into effect on October 10, Hamas has returned all 20 living hostages it held, along with the remains of 24 others, including Goldin. Four bodies of hostages seized during Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack are still being held.