Israel Receives Body of Soldier Killed in 2014 Gaza Conflict

Israel has formally received the body of Lt Hadar Goldin, a soldier who was killed in an ambush during the 2014 conflict with Hamas. His remains had been held in Gaza since his death. The Israeli military confirmed that Lt Goldin, who was just 23 years old at the time of his death, has been identified and will now be buried, allowing his family to conduct a Jewish funeral.

Hamas’s armed wing announced that it would return Lt Goldin’s body as part of a ceasefire agreement. This development follows the return of all 20 living hostages and 24 of the 28 deceased hostages under the initial phase of the deal. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed relief, stating that Lt Goldin’s family can finally lay him to rest. He reiterated his commitment to recovering all deceased hostages, saying, “We have returned 250 so far. We will bring them all back.”

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) extended its condolences to the Goldin family and reaffirmed its ongoing efforts to return all deceased hostages. In a statement, the IDF noted that retrieving Lt Goldin’s body required extensive intelligence operations and ground activities over the past decade, particularly during the recent two-year conflict with Hamas.

Lt Goldin, who hailed from Kfar Saba, became the only deceased Israeli hostage whose remains were held in Gaza prior to the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, which escalated tensions in the region. He was killed in combat on August 1, 2014, shortly after a ceasefire was declared during that summer’s war between Israel and Hamas. At the time, he was part of a group patrolling an agricultural area near Rafah in southern Gaza when they were ambushed by Hamas fighters.

During the encounter, the Israeli military determined that Lt Goldin, along with two other soldiers, was killed in a firefight. His body was subsequently taken into an underground tunnel by Hamas fighters. Following this incident, the Israeli military launched a series of airstrikes in an attempt to prevent the abduction. The bombardment resulted in significant civilian casualties in Rafah, with scores of Palestinian civilians reported killed over the ensuing four days.

The situation in Gaza remains tense. On the same day that Lt Goldin’s body was returned, Israeli fire resulted in the deaths of two Palestinians who allegedly crossed the yellow line marking the boundary of Israeli control. The Israeli military described the individuals as posing an “immediate threat.” Additionally, one Palestinian was killed and another injured in separate incidents, as reported by local medical officials.

Since the commencement of the ceasefire, at least 241 people in Gaza have died due to Israeli military actions, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, which is recognized by the United Nations as a reliable source of information. The conflict was reignited following the October 7 attack, where Hamas gunmen killed approximately 1,200 people in southern Israel and took 251 hostages. The health ministry in Gaza has reported that Israeli attacks have resulted in at least 69,176 fatalities since that date.

The return of Lt Goldin’s body marks a significant moment for his family and for Israel, as they continue to seek closure amid ongoing conflict and loss.