Tens of Thousands Attend Funeral for Israeli Soldier Returned After 11 Years in Gaza

Israelis Hold Funeral for Soldier Whose Remains Were Held in Gaza for 11 Years

Tens of thousands of Israelis gathered in central Israel on Tuesday to honor Lt. Hadar Goldin, whose body had been held in Gaza for 11 years. Goldin, killed in the 2014 Israel-Hamas war, was finally returned on Sunday, offering closure for his family amid a long, public campaign for his remains.

Funeral and Public Mourning

The funeral in Kfar Saba drew massive crowds, overflowing the cemetery and surrounding streets. Attendees, holding Israeli flags, stood in solemn tribute to the 23-year-old soldier, whose remains had been the only Israeli bodies still held in Gaza prior to the current Israel-Hamas war.

Goldin was killed two hours after a ceasefire in the 2014 Gaza conflict. For years, public campaigns featuring posters of Goldin and another soldier, Oron Shaul, who was also captured in 2014, kept attention on the families’ efforts to bring the soldiers home.

Family Reflection and Criticism

Goldin’s parents expressed the “many disappointments” experienced over 11 years of campaigning. They emphasized that it was Israel’s military, not political leaders, that ultimately facilitated the return of their son’s remains.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged the family’s suffering, stating that holding the body for so long had caused “great agony of his family, which will now be able to give him a Jewish burial.” Israel recovered Shaul’s remains earlier in 2025.

Leah Goldin, Hadar’s mother, described the struggle as part of Israel’s social contract with its citizens, underscoring the legal and moral obligation to recover soldiers. She noted that her son, an artist recently engaged, had been abandoned, violating both humanitarian and family rights.

Military Efforts to Recover Goldin

Following Goldin’s death, Israel launched a high-intensity military operation under the “Hannibal” directive, a protocol allowing extreme measures to prevent the capture of soldiers. Heavy shelling, tank fire, and airstrikes targeted areas of southern Rafah in Gaza, resulting in the deaths of over 110 Palestinians.

Palestinian witnesses reported indiscriminate shelling and chaos as residents fled their homes. Human rights groups identified 121 fatalities during these operations and accused Israel of using disproportionate force against civilians. In response to criticism, Israel canceled the Hannibal directive in 2016, later replacing it with a revised version in 2017.

2014 Gaza War Casualties

The broader 2014 conflict between Israel and Hamas lasted 50 days, resulting in over 2,200 Palestinian deaths, including hundreds of civilians, and widespread damage to Gaza’s infrastructure. Israeli casualties included 73 fatalities. The war left deep humanitarian and political scars, forming the context for ongoing tensions and disputes over captured soldiers.

Looking Ahead

The return and burial of Goldin offer symbolic closure for his family and the Israeli public, though four hostages taken in the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack remain in Gaza. Analysts note that the episode highlights the continuing human cost of long-term conflicts and the challenges of balancing military objectives with civilian protection in densely populated conflict zones.