IDF Receives Body of Hadar Goldin from Hamas

Israel has announced that it received the body of Hadar Goldin, an Israeli soldier killed in the Gaza Strip in 2014. Hamas handed over the remains through the Red Cross.

The identification of the body will be carried out by the National Institute of Forensic Medicine in Israel. If confirmed, this will be the 24th body handed over by Hamas out of the 28 it has committed to returning, as part of the ceasefire agreement.

Army Chief Eyal Zamir met with the family of Lieutenant Hadar Goldin. The armed wing of Hamas, the Ezzedin al-Qassam Brigades, reported that they handed over the body found in a tunnel in Rafah.

According to the Israeli army, Goldin was killed on August 1, 2014, during a reconnaissance mission near Rafah. Israeli government spokeswoman Sos Bedrosian said that terrorists attacked the soldiers, killed Goldin, and dragged his body into a tunnel.

In January, the Israeli army returned the body of soldier Oron Shaul, who was killed in 2014. If Goldin's identity is confirmed, there are four remaining hostages in Gaza that must be returned.