"The IDF Brought Him Back": Goldin Parents Make Powerful Statement After 11-Year Ordeal Ends

The body of fallen Lieutenant Hadar Goldin, who was killed and taken captive by the Hamas terrorist organization during Operation Protective Edge in 2014, was formally identified and returned to Israel on Sunday, bringing a definitive end to an agonizing 11-year wait.

Following the forensic identification process, Hadar's parents, Simcha and Leah Goldin, delivered a powerful statement to the press, highlighting the values of the Israeli military and criticizing past political failures.

"We brought Lieutenant Hadar Goldin of the Givati reconnaissance unit, a soldier, to an Israeli grave," Simcha Goldin declared. "Soldiers fight to bring soldiers back from the battlefield. The IDF brought him back, and no one else. These are the values of the IDF, we do not compromise on values. It is no shame to fight for our soldiers. The victory is the return of the hostages and the soldiers to the land of Israel."

A Decades-Long Fight

Leah Goldin recounted the family’s relentless struggle that spanned the globe: "Eleven years and three months ago we stood here, in August, after Hadar was kidnapped, and we cried out that it is forbidden to leave Gaza without Hadar’s return. It was obvious to us that the State of Israel would not leave soldiers behind. It took us 11 years to bring him back. With the help of the IDF and the security forces, let no one be confused. We had to go all over the world, to do the impossible just to make people understand that we share common values without race, sex, or religion."

Leah also expressed the profound disappointments they endured, calling the biggest failure the period during the COVID-19 pandemic: "The biggest disappointment was during COVID when it was possible to bring back all four hostages who were in Gaza in exchange for vaccines. Those who did not do it were the decision-makers in Israel. I am here to say that we must not give up, we must not give up on who we are."

She stressed that their fight was for a greater cause: "Years ago, I said I was fighting not just for Hadar but for the next kidnapped soldier, who thought about civilians?! Without our children, we have no continuation and no existence."

Military Condolences and National Sorrow

Before the official identification, IDF Chief of Staff Major General Eyal Zamir visited the Goldin home on Saturday evening, where he met with Simcha and Leah. Photographs showed the parents embracing the Chief of Staff with smiles, a testament to the family's deep appreciation for the military’s ongoing commitment. Zamir spoke to them about the immense intelligence and operational efforts undertaken over the past decade, and especially during the current war, to secure Hadar's return, underscoring the IDF's commitment to bring back all fallen hostages.

Following the confirmation, the Prime Minister's Office confirmed the identification, stating that the government "shares in the deep sorrow of the Goldin family" and is "determined, committed, and working tirelessly to return all of our deceased hostages for proper burial."

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum released a statement honoring Hadar, describing him as a sensitive, modest, and determined commander who loved the land. He was just 23 and engaged to be married to his fiancée, Edna Sarousi, at the time of his death. The statement noted that he was held captive by Hamas for 4,118 days and nights.

President Isaac Herzog offered his condolences: "After 11 painful and far too long years, Lieutenant Hadar Goldin, a hero of Israel, has returned to the soil of the homeland today. Throughout these years, Hadar's image was on my desk... The people of Israel embrace them today with deep love and endless appreciation for their relentless struggle."

The return was managed through the Red Cross, following a short military ceremony led by the Chief Military Rabbi Brigadier General Eyal Karim inside the Gaza Strip. Eitan Fund, the officer who famously pursued Goldin into the tunnel after his capture in 2014, was present at the receiving ceremony.