‘Finally home’: Israel embraces the Goldin family upon return of body of son Hadar from Gaza

Israel rejoiced and mourned on Sunday evening together with the family of Lt. Hadar Goldin, whose body was returned from the Gaza Strip 4,118 days after he was killed and kidnapped by Hamas in the 2014 Gaza War.

In the evening, his parents Simcha and Leah addressed the nation: “We brought Lieutenant Hadar Goldin of the Givati Reconnaissance Unit, our son, a fighter, back to be buried in Israel. We worked for this, we brought him back because soldiers fight to bring back their fellow soldiers from the battlefield, and also civilians. The IDF brought Hadar to burial in Israel – no one else, the IDF did,” said Goldin’s father Simcha.

“We carry these IDF values that we have lived by for 11 years – because that is what Hadar left us. Values that say: you do not abandon soldiers on the battlefield. “We do not compromise on values to achieve interests – we fight for our fighters… That’s what we did, and this value is the fundamental one from which we will begin to rebuild,” he added.

Goldin’s mother, Leah, said: “Eleven years and three months ago, in August, after Hadar was taken from us, we stood here and cried out that we must not leave Gaza without bringing Hadar back.”

“We must not give up who we are. We will win through our values. I hope Hadar will continue to be the symbol. As he said: ‘You have two options in life – to focus on yourself, or to do great things.’ I don’t think we did great things – we just fought for our child, and for all IDF soldiers… if Oct. 7 wasn’t enough of an alarm for everyone in Israel, look at us and understand: it’s vital and obligatory to fight for our children. Without them, we have no future and no existence.”

“After eleven long and painful years, too long, Lt. Hadar Goldin, a hero of Israel, has today been returned to his homeland,” said President Isaac Herzog.

“In the eleven years that have passed since he fell in battle and was abducted during Operation Protective Edge, the image of Hadar has stood on my desk in the various positions I held, and his memory has remained etched in my heart throughout.”

“The people of Israel embrace Hadar’s family today with deep love and boundless admiration for their unwavering strength and relentless, tireless struggle to bring Hadar home. For the hope that never dimmed, for their dignity, Zionism, and unshakable faith that guided their every step,” said Herzog, adding a special thanks to U.S. President Donald Trump.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also said he had a picture of Goldin on his shelf for eleven years, and that “With God’s help and due to the heroism of the IDF soldiers and the decision we made,” he was returned.

“I knew that we would bring them home, we didn't give up on it for a moment,” the prime minister said, emphasizing that the IDF entry to Gaza following the Oct. 7 massacre allowed “a lot more” to be done to find Goldin.

Channel 12 News reported that it hadn’t been allowed to report until now that hundreds of IDF soldiers had been trying to find Goldin’s body in the tunnels beneath Rafah, “risking our forces in excavations resembling archaeological digs,” according to a quote from Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir.

The IDF stated that “the effort to retrieve him involved extensive intelligence efforts, alongside operational activities on the ground, led by the IDF and ISA. These efforts continued throughout the past decade and during the war,” without revealing further details.

מצדיע להדר, ושב הבן לגבולו.
סגן הדר גולדין ז״ל חזר הביתה.
הלב הולם עם משפחתו.
הדר, קצין בצבא ההגנה לישראל, חזר הביתה אחרי יותר מ- 11 שנים.
הדר חזר הביתה, מילים שכולנו חיכינו להן.
חזרתו היא מימוש החוזה: צבא ההגנה לישראל ועם ישראל עומדים מאחורי לוחמינו.
זה לקח זמן רב מידי.… pic.twitter.com/SesTTuovoI

— Gadi Eisenkot - גדי איזנקוט (@gadi_eisenkot) November 9, 2025

Gadi Eisenkot, former MK and current chairman of the new party “Yashar,” was the IDF chief of staff during the 2014 war.

He wrote on 𝕏 that, “The heart beats with his family. Hadar, an officer in the Israel Defense Forces, has returned home after more than 11 years.”

“His return is the fulfillment of the promise: the Israel Defense Forces and the people of Israel stand behind our warriors. It took far too long. During my tenure as Chief of the General Staff and over the years, I worked tirelessly to bring him back, without success, out of a supreme commitment to leave no one behind, the duty to his family and to national resilience.”

Goldin’s body was returned to Israel on Sunday evening, after Hamas transferred his remains to the Red Cross.

The soldiers who received the casket in the Gaza Strip were Goldin’s old platoon in the Givati Reconnaissance Unit, who are serving as reserve soldiers at the moment.

Hadar Goldin’s funeral will take place on Tuesday at 10:00 a.m., and is expected to see thousands of Israelis pay their last respects.

Goldin’s sister Ayelet returned to Israel from London on Sunday, writing on 𝕏: “More than anything, he’s my little brother. Time stopped – it still feels like he just went out and is already coming back. How do you process the struggle for a dead brother?”

She added: “The straight path wins. Goodness wins – and together we are changing history! That gives me great strength. There will be good here, thanks to all of us – we will bring everyone back and rebuild. That gives me power. My Hadar – you are my inspiration. You live in my heart always, and I love you so much. You’ve finally come home.”