The Chief of Staff arrived at the Goldin family home, and Israel believes that this is indeed an officer who fell and was kidnapped during Operation Protective Edge in 2014. According to Hamas, he was located in the Rafah area, where about 200 terrorists are trapped - and that is where Israel also estimated that he is being held. Goldin is defined as an IDF martyr whose burial place has not been known for more than 11 years, and his family feared that he had become a"sergeant."
Yoav Zeiton, Lior Ben Ari, Yuval Karni|
4,117 days since Lieutenant Hadar Goldin was in Hamas' hands - and has not yet been returned for burial in Israel. Now, Hamas claims that it located Goldin, a Givati patrol officer, in the tunnels in the Rafah area today (Saturday). A security source told Ynet that"it is estimated that this is the body of Hadar Goldin, but additional details are awaited. There is no final or official confirmation." On Saturday evening, the Chief of Staff, Maj. Gen. Eyal Zamir, arrived at the Goldin family home in Kfar Saba.
The late Hadar Goldin (Photo: Courtesy of the family)
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A few hours before Hamas's announcement, the Saudi Al-Hadath network reported that Red Cross and Hamas vehicles entered the Al-Jenina neighborhood in Rafah, where about 200 terrorists were"trapped" in tunnels in the IDF enclave, in an attempt to find the Israeli officer.
Chief of Staff Zamir said on Tuesday in the political-security cabinet that there is no"Chief of Staff deal" for the approximately 200 terrorists, about two days after he said that he is prepared to consider their release only in exchange for Goldin - who has been kidnapped in Gaza since 2014. According to Zamir,"It's either surrender or we'll eliminate them. If they surrender - we'll take them in their underwear to a Yemeni field to interrogate them."
"His burial place is unknown" - more than 11 years
Lieutenant Goldin was killed in August 2014 in a battle in Rafah during a ceasefire in Operation Protective Edge, and his body was kidnapped by Hamas. For more than 11 years, he has been defined as an IDF martyr whose burial place is unknown, and throughout this period, his family waged a heroic struggle for his return - and, among other things, demanded, long before the war broke out, that the reconstruction of Gaza not be allowed without his return.
On August 1, 2014, a 72-hour ceasefire began at 08:00. It was violated shortly after when Hamas launched rockets into the Gaza Strip and then two mortar shells. A Givati Patrol force under the command of Major Baniya Sarel continued operational activity to locate tunnels in the Rafah area.
They have been waging a heroic struggle for more than 11 years. Simcha and Leah Goldin, Hadar's parents (Photo: Dana Kopel)
At 9:05, the force was attacked by terrorists who emerged from a tunnel, killing three of its soldiers: Goldin, Company Commander Sharel, and Sergeant Liel Gideoni. Goldin was kidnapped into a tunnel and shortly thereafter"Operation Hannibal" was declared, in which heavy artillery fire was fired in an attempt to disrupt the kidnappers' escape. Givati's forces remained in the area for an additional 72 hours to try and locate the body, but without success.
The deputy commander of the PLSAR, Lieutenant Eitan Pond, and the commander of the battalion's command center, Lieutenant Matan Horesh, led a pursuit of the terrorist squad inside the tunnel, during which findings were located that, along with items discovered in the afternoon by a team of Sayeret Matkal and the Eitan unit, allowed them to determine Goldin's death.
Before he was kidnapped, Goldin was engaged to his partner, and the last family reunion took place at his engagement party."Before he entered Gaza, he had time to draw the wedding invitation," his father, Simcha Goldin, previously told Ynet."His and mine met on Tuesday, two days before he was killed. We met in Nir Yitzhak's fields. They seemed strong, true."
The officer who is considered a symbol - also for Hamas
After it was learned this week that Chief of Staff Zamir is considering releasing the "besieged" terrorists in Rafah if Hamas first releases Lieutenant Goldin, estimates were published that the officer who became a sergeant is being held in the tunnels where the terrorists are trapped - since the beginning of the war - but the terrorist organization is avoiding handing him over.
Thus, in essence, Israel made it clear that Hamas, which has not yet released Goldin, knows full well where he is being held, even though it has so far refrained from returning the hostage who is also considered a symbol for it. However, the IDF claimed that"there is no information that states that the body of the late Hadar Goldin is in the tunnel where Hamas terrorists are in Rafah. These are false claims that harm the family." In a heartbreaking speech in the square of the hostages last month, Ayelet Goldin, Hadar's sister, called for not giving up the fight."I was afraid that the square would be empty," she said,"but this agreement brought 20 miracles - 20 lives on their feet from the grave - and left hostages dead in the hands of Hamas. Hamas has been holding my brother as a symbol for 11 years. We have 18 more hostages to bring home."
In a voice choked with tears, she added:"This is the last battle, the least sexy battle, in which there will be no hugs - there will be a bow of the head, a final respect. This is the final battle, and it is for a limited time. Be sharp, pay attention to the press. From the moment the 20 returned - there have been countless articles about those who cannot find the dead. This is a blatant lie - Hamas knows everything. Just as it knew how to bring 20 lives, it also knows where the 18 dead that remain are. Hamas' problem is not knowledge, but motivation. It has been holding my brother as a symbol for 11 years."
The Goldin family called on the government even before the implementation of the latest agreement began: "Send in search teams and return everyone - before Hamas receives any compensation." Goldin's family said after the agreement was announced that "this war was born 11 years ago when it was decided to leave hostages behind in Gaza. Our courage symbolizes determination for a real victory, and until it does not sit still, we will continue in the campaign."
