The Red Cross received on Sunday the remains of an individual in Gaza. Hamas claims these remains belong to Hadar Goldin, an Israeli soldier reportedly killed on August 1, 2014, and whose body has been held in Gaza for the past 11 years. These remains are identified as the only ones held in Gaza from the period preceding the recent two-year conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Hamas reported finding Goldin's body in a tunnel in Rafah, Gaza's southernmost city, on Saturday. Goldin's death occurred approximately two hours after a ceasefire that concluded the 2014 conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Identification and Broader Context
The remains will be transferred to Israel for identification by the national forensic institute. Should the identification confirm Goldin's identity, four bodies of individuals previously held in Gaza would remain. This development is considered significant in the U.S.-brokered truce, concluding an 11-year period for Goldin's family regarding his status.
During a weekly Cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the prolonged retention of the body had caused "great agony" to his family, who could now perform a Jewish burial. Goldin's family, alongside another soldier's family whose body was taken in 2014, had conducted a public campaign advocating for the return of their sons' bodies for burial. Israel recovered the remains of the other soldier earlier this year. Netanyahu affirmed the country's ongoing efforts to recover the bodies of Israelis held by adversaries, citing Eli Cohen, an Israeli operative executed in Damascus in 1965, as an example.
Allegations of Negotiation Delays
Israeli media, citing unnamed officials, reported that Hamas's release of Goldin's body had been delayed, with speculation it was linked to negotiations for safe passage of over 100 militants encircled by Israeli forces in Rafah. Minister Gila Gamliel of Innovation, Science and Technology, a Likud party member, stated on Army radio that Israel was not engaged in a "deal within a deal" negotiation. She further stated, "There are agreements whose implementation is guaranteed by the mediators, and we shouldn't allow anyone to come know and play (games) and to reopen the agreement." Hamas has not commented on a potential exchange for its fighters located in the Israeli-controlled 'yellow zone,' though it acknowledged ongoing clashes in the area.
Truce Developments and Conflict Overview
Since the ceasefire commenced last month, 23 sets of remains identified as those of individuals previously held have been released. The truce agreement stipulates the return of all remains of individuals held. In exchange for each set of Israeli remains returned, Israel has released 15 sets of Palestinian remains. Ahmed Dheir, director of forensic medicine at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, stated that 300 sets of remains have been returned, of which 89 have been identified.
The conflict initiated with an attack led by Hamas on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. This event resulted in the kidnapping of 251 individuals and the deaths of 1,200 people in Israel, predominantly civilians. On Saturday, the Gaza Health Ministry reported that the number of Palestinians killed in Gaza had increased to 69,176. The ministry, operating under the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals, provides records generally considered reliable by independent experts.
Goldin Family's Experience
In 2014, the Israeli military concluded that Goldin had been killed during the attack, based on evidence found in the tunnel where his body was reportedly taken, including a shirt with bloodstains and prayer fringes. His family conducted what Leah Goldin described as a "pseudo-funeral," incorporating Goldin's shirt and fringes, following the guidance of Israeli military rabbis. Leah Goldin stated that the persistent uncertainty was like a "knife constantly making new cuts."
Leah Goldin informed the Associated Press that the return of her son's body represented an ethical and religious principle, aligning with Israel's perceived commitment to its citizens, who are mandated by law to serve in the military. Goldin stated, "Hadar is a soldier who went to combat and they abandoned him, and they destroyed his humanitarian rights and ours as well." She reported that her family often felt isolated in their efforts to secure Goldin's return for burial.
In the period following Hamas's attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, the Goldin family engaged in efforts to assist families of the 251 individuals taken to Gaza by Hamas. Initially, the Goldin family experienced a shift in public focus as advocacy for individuals taken on October 7 surged. Goldin stated, "We were a symbol of failure." She recounted, "They told us, 'we aren't like you, our kids will come back soon.'"