Israel Confirms Receipt of Remains of Soldier Killed in 2014 Gaza Conflict
KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza – Israel has confirmed receiving the remains of Hadar Goldin, an Israeli soldier killed during the 2014 Gaza war, after they were recovered and returned by authorities in Gaza. The remains of approximately 300 individuals have been returned in total, with 89 identified as of saturday, according to reports from Gaza City.
The return of Goldin’s remains closes a deeply painful chapter for his family and for Israel, which has long sought the return of its soldiers and citizens missing or killed in conflict. The recovery comes amid the ongoing war that began with a Hamas-led attack on southern israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths, mostly civilians, and the abduction of 251 people. The return also occurs as the conflict has led to a staggering 69,176 Palestinian deaths in Gaza, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which is staffed by medical professionals and maintains records considered generally reliable by independent experts.
for nearly a decade, the Goldin family endured the anguish of uncertainty, holding a “pseudo-funeral” at the urging of Israeli military rabbis, according to Leah Goldin, Hadar’s mother. She described the lingering uncertainty as a ”knife constantly making new cuts.”
“Returning her son’s body has ethical and religious value and is part of the sacrosanct pact Israel makes with its citizens, who are required by law to serve in the military,” Leah Goldin told The Associated Press earlier this year. “Hadar is a soldier who went to combat and they abandoned him, and they destroyed his humanitarian rights and ours as well.”
Following the October 7th attack, the Goldin family shifted their focus to supporting the families of those newly abducted, initially facing a sense of isolation. “We were a symbol of failure,” Goldin recalled. “They told us,’we aren’t like you,our kids will come back soon.'”