Hadar has come home, 4,118 days after he was killed and abducted to Gaza. The Prime Minister’s Office confirmed Sunday evening that the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute identified the remains in the coffin transferred to Israel as those of fallen IDF officer Lt. Hadar Goldin. The coffin was handed over via the Red Cross, transferred to IDF and Shin Bet forces in the Gaza Strip, and then brought to the institute for identification.
Following the completion of the identification process by the National Center of Forensic Medicine, together with the Israel Police and the Military Rabbinate, IDF representatives officially informed Goldin’s family that their loved one had been brought back to Israel and positively identified.
“Lt. Hadar Goldin fell in battle and was abducted in 2014 during Operation Protective Edge,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement. “The government of Israel shares in the deep sorrow of the Goldin family and of all the families of fallen hostages. The government and the entire security apparatus of the State of Israel remain determined, committed, and tireless in their efforts to return all of our fallen hostages for proper burial in their homeland. The Hamas terror organization must uphold its commitments to the mediators and return them under the framework of the agreement. We will not compromise and will spare no effort until all hostages are brought home.”
The IDF spokesperson said that after the identification was finalized, the Goldin family was formally notified that their loved one had been returned for burial. “Hadar, 23 at the time of his death, was killed in battle during Operation Protective Edge amid a cease-fire violation in Rafah on August 1, 2014, and was abducted by the Hamas terror organization. He is survived by his parents, a sister, two brothers, and his fiancée,” the statement said.
The IDF added that the effort to bring Goldin home had continued consistently over the past decade, combining intelligence, field operations, and close cooperation with the Shin Bet, which intensified during the current war. “The IDF shares the family’s grief and continues to dedicate all efforts to the return of all fallen hostages, preparing to fully implement the agreement,” the army said. It also stressed that Hamas must fulfill its commitments under the deal and return all the bodies of fallen hostages to their families for proper burial.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement: “The families of the hostages and returnees embrace the Goldin family, whose beloved Hadar has been returned to Israel for a proper burial. Alongside the sorrow and the knowledge that the heart will never be whole, the return of Hadar brings some measure of solace to a family that has lived in agonizing uncertainty for more than 11 years. We will not rest and will not stop until the last hostage is brought home.”
Kfar Saba Mayor Rafi Sa’ar also welcomed the closure of the long ordeal. “There are moments that words cannot describe,” he said. “After 11 years of waiting, pain, and hope, Lt. Hadar Goldin is on his way to eternal rest in his beloved homeland and in his hometown of Kfar Saba. We embrace the Goldin family with great love, and soon we will accompany Hadar on his final journey under the flags of Israel.”
The Red Cross on Sunday afternoon handed over to the IDF the coffin said by Hamas to contain the remains of Lt. Hadar Goldin, an IDF officer killed and abducted by Hamas during the 2014 Gaza war. The coffin was transferred from Gaza to Israeli forces and later brought to the National Center of Forensic Medicine in Abu Kabir for identification.
The transfer came just hours after Hamas issued an official statement announcing it would release Goldin’s body, nearly 11 and a half years after his death and capture during Operation Protective Edge. Despite the announcement, Israeli officials expressed concern that the terror group could be engaging in manipulation.
According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, the body was handed over to Israeli forces and the Shin Bet inside Gaza before being transported to Israel in a military ceremony attended by the chief military rabbi. Once the identification process is complete, an official notification will be given to the family.
“Israel received, via the Red Cross, the coffin of a fallen hostage transferred to IDF and Shin Bet forces inside the Gaza Strip,” the statement read. “All families of the fallen hostages have been informed, and our hearts are with them in this difficult hour. The effort to bring our hostages home continues and will not stop until the last one is returned. We ask the public to respect the families’ privacy and avoid spreading unverified information.”
As the coffin was escorted north, around 200 people gathered along intersections in southern Israel’s Eshkol Regional Council, waving Israeli and yellow flags, accompanying the convoy and paying final respects. Many others stood by the roadside as the procession passed.
At the forensic institute, dozens of supporters and activists from the “Order of Hadar” movement gathered, wearing shirts reading “Protective Edge isn’t over until we bring Hadar home.” Smadar and Adi Levitan of Holon, longtime activists for the cause, described the scene as deeply emotional. “The tears just come on their own,” Smadar said. “The family fought a heroic and just battle.”
Goldin’s personal weapon, which had previously been recovered, was repaired and returned to his family.
At the start of Sunday’s Cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that Israel expected to receive Goldin’s body later in the day. “This will begin immediately with the verification of his identity,” he said. “Lt. Hadar Goldin fell heroically in battle during Operation Protective Edge 11 years ago. His body was taken by Hamas, which refused to return him throughout this time. We made great efforts to bring him back, alongside the immense suffering of his family, which will now be able to lay him to rest in Israel.”
Netanyahu added that bringing fallen soldiers home has always been a national duty. “From the War of Independence to today, we have made it our mission to bring back our soldiers who fell in battle,” he said. “Sometimes it takes many years — over 40 years in the case of Sultan Yacoub. It is our obligation to our soldiers and to our security personnel.”
Israeli officials had been preparing since Saturday for the possible return of a slain hostage after Hamas announced it had “located” Goldin’s body. A senior Israeli source said the government “views with utmost severity the violation caused by the delay in returning Goldin’s body, even though Hamas claims he is in its possession,” adding that “Israel demands his immediate return.”
In an earlier statement, Hamas’ military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, said that “retrieving the remaining bodies requires additional teams and technical equipment.”
After footage aired on Al Jazeera purportedly showing a Hamas recovery operation, Israeli defense officials assessed that Goldin was likely the slain hostage extracted Saturday night from a tunnel in southern Gaza.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir visited the Goldin family Saturday night to brief them on the developments. The family expressed appreciation for the ongoing efforts but stressed, “Until it’s final, it’s not over. The entire nation is waiting for Hadar’s return.”
The recovery comes as Hamas continues to seek a deal for the release of about 200 of its fighters believed to be trapped in tunnels in Rafah. The group and international mediators have floated various proposals in recent weeks, but none have materialized.
First published: 10:53, 11.09.25