Hamas said on Sunday it would return the body of Israel Defense Forces Lt. Hadar Goldin at 2 p.m. local time, over a decade after the soldier was killed during fighting in the 2014 Gaza war.
Hebrew media confirmed that Israel was preparing on Sunday for the possibility that the terrorist group would return a body.
On Saturday, a senior Hamas source claimed that Goldin’s body had been located in the Rafah area of Gaza and would be returned “within hours.” However, nearly a day later Israel was still waiting. On Sunday morning, a senior Israeli political official condemned the delay, calling it “a serious breach.”
“Israel views the delay in returning the body of Lt. Hadar Goldin, who Hamas claims is in its possession, with the utmost severity,” the official said. “Israel demands his immediate return.”
Goldin, an officer in the Givati Brigade, was killed during “Operation Protective Edge” in 2014.
Following Israel’s confirmation of Hamas’s announcement on Saturday night, the Goldin family issued a statement: “An entire nation is waiting for Hadar to be brought home. This is a mission that must and can be fulfilled for the sake of all of us. The IDF chief of staff came to update us after Shabbat on the tremendous efforts being made to bring back the hostages, and we salute everyone involved in this national mission. We are waiting for official confirmation that Hadar has returned to Israel.
“No one in this country is ever left behind. We ask everyone to stay calm. Until it’s final, it isn’t over.”
During his visit to the Goldin family in Kfar Saba, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen Eyal Zamir “reiterated his personal and the IDF’s commitment to bringing back Hadar and all the fallen hostages and emphasized the importance of restraint at these sensitive moments, until his arrival and the completion of the necessary checks and verification,” according to the military.
This is a version of an article originally published by Israel Hayom.
