Staff Sergeant Oron Shaul, whose body was recovered from Gaza late Sunday night, was laid to rest Monday afternoon in Israel, 10 and a half years after his death.
Thousands attended the funeral at the Poria Illit Cemetery in northern Israel, where he was buried next to his father, Herzl. Shaul was killed during the 2014 Gaza war, known as Operation Protective Edge, when his armored personnel carrier was struck in Gaza City's Shijaiyah neighborhood, and Hamas abducted his body.
The emotional funeral saw six Golani Brigade soldiers carrying Shaul’s coffin. His mother, Zahava Shaul, arrived at the cemetery accompanied by her sons, Aviram and Ofek. Among the attendees were Golani soldiers, civilians, family members and government officials, including ministers Idit Silman and Ofir Sofer, as well as Brig. Gen. Gal Hirsch, Israel’s coordinator for captives and missing persons. Former IDF chief of staff Benny Gantz, who led the military during Shaul’s death and abduction, was also present.
Zahava Shaul delivered a heart-wrenching eulogy to her son: “My dear Oron, no words can capture who you truly were. For 10 and a half years, I waited for you, and each day became harder. I thought, ‘Now he’ll never return. Others will come back, but not you. And I’ll have to go on living without you.’”
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
She recounted the moment she learned of her son’s return: “That day, I got a call to open the door. Moran was standing there. I was in pajamas, uncombed and unprepared. I asked, ‘Why are you here now?’ She said, ‘Let me in.’ I offered to make coffee, but she insisted on talking first. Then, after some hesitation, she turned to me and said, ‘Zahava, Oron is home.’ I asked, ‘What do you mean, home? Where is he?’ And she said, ‘He’s back. Oron is home.’”
Expressing her gratitude, she said, “I waited so many years and never believed this day would come. I thank the IDF, the Shin Bet and the prime minister for finally bringing you back. I love you so much, I don’t even know how to put it into words. It’s so hard. It’s so very hard. I have so much more to say, but I don’t have the strength anymore.”
In her closing words, Zahava addressed Oron and the attendees: “Look at all your friends who loved you—they’re all here to say goodbye. I want to thank those who rescued you and wish a full recovery to all the injured soldiers. To those still in Gaza, I hope they’re released as soon and as safely as possible. I love you, Mom.”
Shaul’s body was positively identified at the Forensic Medicine Institute in Tel Aviv before his family was notified by representatives from the IDF, Shin Bet and Hirsch.
The family of Lt. Hadar Goldin, another soldier whose body remains in Hamas custody since the same war, was also briefed on the recovery. Goldin’s body was not retrieved in the operation. Gaza currently holds 94 hostages, including Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, civilians captured in 2014 and 2015, respectively, who are expected to be part of the initial stages of the hostage release deal.
Shaul’s father, Herzl, passed away in 2016 after a battle with cancer, which he attributed to the anguish of waiting for his son’s return. Before his death, he described the toll the ordeal had taken on his health and his family.
In December 2023, Golani Brigade soldiers and a tactical team from the 188th Armored Brigade destroyed Palestine Square in Shijaiyah, where Hamas had erected a statue commemorating the 2014 incident. The statue, featuring a fist emerging from an armored vehicle clutching dog tags—including one bearing Shaul’s name—was dismantled as part of the IDF’s operations in Gaza.
The recovery operation comes as families of other fallen soldiers reflect on the sacrifices made. Sarit, the mother of Sgt. Ben Vaanunu, who was killed in the same incident as Shaul, remembered her son as a beacon of light. “Ben spread joy, love and positivity wherever he went. He was determined and driven, with a dream to join Golani, which he achieved. Beyond that, he was a loving, respectful, and humorous child who always cared deeply for those around him.”
She noted the bond between her son and Shaul, even in tragedy. “Ben and Oron shared the same painful fate in the APC disaster. Though they didn’t know each other well, they were part of the unique camaraderie of IDF soldiers—marked by dedication, mutual responsibility and brotherhood. They shared a path and a mission to serve the country.”
Itamar Eichner and Roni Green Shaulov contributed to this story.