Hamas Returns His Son's Body After 11 Years, Hadar Goldin's Parents Criticize Israeli Authorities

Simcha and Leah Godin gave a statement regarding the repatriation of their son's body, Lieutenant Hadar Godin. (Alon Gilboa/Hostages Forum)

JAKARTA - Lieutenant Hadar Goldin's parents expressed their criticism of the Israeli authorities, instead praising Israel Defense Forces (IDF), in line with Hamas' return of his body after 11 years.

Grateful for the return of the bodies of his son, Leah and Simcha, delivered implied criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and political leaders, praising "IDF, and no one," for carrying the body of his son, a fighter soldier of Alvati who died in Gaza in 2014, back to Israel for burial.

"We've been talking about IDF values for 11 years. That's what Hadar left for us, the value that we don't leave soldiers on the battlefield, we fight for the fighters," Goldin's father said, quoted from The Times of Israel November 10.

Leah Goldin noted that they stood at the same location in August 2014, shortly after Hadar died, asking the government and IDF not to leave the bodies of their sons in Gaza.

He said it was clear to them at the time that the Israeli government would never leave a soldier. However, in reality they had to fight for the past 11 years to repatriate him.

"We need 11 years to get it back, with the help of the IDF and the security service," he said.

"We travel the world to do what is impossible, to show that we have common values, regardless of religion or race, everyone has the responsibility to bring home the body of a soldier from the battlefield to be properly buried," explained Leah Goldin.

"These are the values we stand for. We have gone through so much disappointment," he said.

He further revealed, during the COVID pandemic, "we could have recovered (Hadar and the other three hostages who were then held in Gaza) in exchange for vaccines", suggesting Israel could have required the release of the four hostages to supply vaccines to Gaza. However, "the decision makers here did not do so."

Leah Goldin previously accused PM Netanyahu of making the issue of repatriating the soldiers who died "a problem for the family (only)," and making her family "an enemy of the people."

Leah also said they were struggling to secure the return of the kidnapped army, and, referring to the Hamas invasion on October 7, asked: "Who would have thought civilians would be kidnapped?"

The Goldin family said their son was a symbol of what could be done in Israel.

"October 7 is a call and alarm for everyone in Israel," said Leah Goldin.

"So look at us, and let's have coffee with us, and we will explain to you that we have to fight for our children because without them, we have no continuity," he explained.

"It's simple and can be done, it's Jewish and Israeli. We brought back the symbol and now we have to protect it and fight for it," added Simcha Goldin.

As previously reported, Israeli authorities on Sunday confirmed the repatriation of Goldin's body killed in the war in Gaza in 2014. His body was handed over by Hamas to the Red Cross in southern Gaza to be handed over to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

"The Israeli government is deeply sorry for the Goldin family and the entire family of the hostages who died," read a statement from the Prime Minister's Office.

The IDF then took the body to the Abu Kabir forensic institute in Tel Aviv to undergo identification.

After confirming, the military representative has informed the family of Lieutenant Hadar Goldin that his body has been returned to Israel by Hamas.

Lieutenant Goldin was killed along with two of his colleagues from the Gigati Brigade reconnaissance unit who were intercepted by Hamas in the war on August 1, 2014. His body was then with Hamas for approximately 4,118 days before being discharged yesterday.