Hundreds of mourners gathered in the central Israeli town of Kfar Saba on Tuesday to pay their final respects to army officer Lt. Hadar Goldin, whose remains were returned by Hamas after being held in Gaza for more than a decade.
The military cemetery overflowed with attendees, some perched-on rooftops to witness the solemn ceremony, while others watched on large outdoor screens. The atmosphere was steeped in emotion as Israeli flags waved in the wind and mourners held aloft portraits of the young officer, accompanied by banners reading “We will remember forever.”
Goldin’s remains were returned to Israel on Sunday as part of a Gaza ceasefire deal brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump, bringing closure to an 11-year ordeal that gripped both his family and the nation.
His father, Simcha Goldin, described his son as a “Jewish warrior,” urging the crowd to uphold the values of unity and righteousness that Hadar embodied.
“Behave righteously and do not hate one another — that is Hadar’s legacy. Let there be a little more of Hadar in our daily lives.” He said.
Hadar Goldin, then 23, was killed on August 1, 2014, during Israel’s Operation Protective Edge in Gaza. He was leading a mission to destroy Hamas tunnels when he was ambushed, killed, and his body captured — just hours into a brief humanitarian truce.
For over a decade, his family campaigned tirelessly for his return. Tuesday’s burial marked the end of that painful chapter.
“Today is a hard day, but I am happy because Hadar’s coming was a dream,” In our army, we do not leave anyone behind.” said Israel Blumshtein, a 76-year-old resident of Kfar Saba.
Goldin’s twin brother, Tzur Goldin, said Hamas’s use of hostages was a deliberate attempt to weaken the moral fabric of Israeli society.
“They aim to destroy us from within. Our victory will be to uphold our founding principle, never abandoning one another.” He said.
Though the Goldin family held a symbolic funeral in 2014 after partial remains were recovered, efforts to retrieve the rest through prisoner exchanges had long stalled.
“It’s some kind of relief because he’s been there for more than 11 years,” said Aharon Gamzu, a 48-year-old software engineer who attended the funeral draped in the Israeli flag. “Every soldier trusts that the country will do everything to bring them home. That’s what Hadar’s return means to us.”
Standing beside him, Einat Carmel Gamzu added: “It was important to be here to give him a final honour, our honour for him and for Israel.”
Since the ceasefire took effect on October 10, Hamas has released 20 living hostages and the remains of 24 others, including Goldin. However, the bodies of four hostages seized during Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack — which triggered the latest Gaza conflict — remain in the enclave.
Goldin’s burial brings a measure of closure to a story that symbolised Israel’s commitment to its soldiers — a nation’s promise that none of its sons or daughters will ever be forgotten.
— AFP
