Tens of thousands of mourners gathered in central Israel on Tuesday for the funeral of Lt. Hadar Goldin, the Israeli soldier whose body was held in Gaza for more than a decade before being returned over the weekend. The massive turnout filled the cemetery and surrounding streets, as crowds waved Israeli flags and sang in tribute to the fallen soldier.
Goldin’s burial marked a long-awaited moment of closure for his family, which had spent 11 years campaigning globally for his return. His case became a national symbol in Israel, reflecting both the deep emotional toll of missing soldiers and the country’s enduring conflicts with Hamas.
The remains of Goldin, who was 23 when he was killed during the 2014 Gaza war, were handed over to Israel on Sunday as part of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire mediated by former President Donald Trump’s administration last month. The truce also included humanitarian provisions and prisoner exchanges.
Goldin was killed two hours after a ceasefire came into effect in August 2014, when Hamas militants ambushed his unit near Rafah. His body was taken into a tunnel beneath Gaza, and the Israeli military later declared him dead based on forensic evidence found at the scene — including a blood-stained shirt and his tzitzit (Jewish prayer fringes).
For years, Goldin’s parents, Leah and Simcha Goldin, led a tireless campaign urging the government and international community to pressure Hamas for the return of their son’s body. Their effort turned Hadar into a household name, with his photo displayed on posters across Israel and advocacy campaigns abroad.
The military announced in January that it had also recovered the body of another soldier, Oron Shaul, who was abducted in the same 2014 conflict. Both cases had been central to Israel’s negotiations with Hamas over the years.
The funeral drew tens of thousands of Israelis from across the country, many of whom said they came to pay respect not only to Goldin but to the enduring struggle of soldiers and their families. “It’s not just about Hadar — it’s about every family still waiting,” one mourner told local media.
Hamas’s return of Goldin’s remains came as part of a broader ceasefire deal that also addressed ongoing hostage concerns from the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack that triggered the current war. According to Israeli officials, the bodies of four other hostages captured in that assault remain in Gaza.
The Red Cross and Qatari mediators played key roles in facilitating the recent transfers, part of a series of humanitarian exchanges between the warring sides.
Africa Digital News, New York
