Hamas has announced that it will return the body of Israeli soldier Hadar Goldin, who was killed in 2014 and whose remains have been held in Gaza ever since. The release is set for Sunday afternoon and marks a significant step in the U.S.-brokered truce between Israel and Hamas.

Goldin’s return closes a painful 11-year chapter for his family and represents a key moment in ongoing efforts to repatriate the remains of Israeli soldiers captured or killed in conflicts with Hamas.

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Discovery of Goldin’s Body

According to Hamas, Goldin’s body was found in a tunnel in Rafah, a city in the southernmost part of the Gaza Strip, on Saturday. Goldin was killed on August 1, 2014, just two hours after a ceasefire was declared at the end of the 2014 Israel-Hamas conflict.

Israeli media reports, citing anonymous officials, suggested that Hamas may have delayed the release to use the body as leverage in negotiating safe passage for over 100 militants trapped by Israeli forces in the so-called yellow zone in southern Rafah.

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Israeli Government Response

Israeli officials have emphasized that there will be no negotiations for additional deals tied to the release of Goldin’s remains. Gila Gamliel, Minister of Science and Technology, stated on Army Radio:

“There are agreements whose implementation is guaranteed by the mediators, and we shouldn’t allow anyone to come and play games or reopen the agreement.”

Israeli President Isaac Herzog confirmed that Israel expected the body’s return in the afternoon and attended the funeral of Staff Sgt. Itay Chen, another soldier recently returned from Gaza.

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Context of U.S.-Brokered Truce

Since the truce began last month, militants have released the remains of 23 hostages. Israel, in turn, has repatriated the bodies of 15 Palestinians for every Israeli returned.

Ahmed Dheir, director of forensic medicine at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, stated that 300 remains have been returned so far, with 89 identified.

Goldin’s case is the only body remaining in Gaza from before the 2023-2025 war, highlighting the longstanding challenges faced by Israeli families seeking closure.

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Historical Background

The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a large-scale attack on southern Israel, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping 251 hostages. Goldin’s death in 2014 occurred under similar circumstances, with his remains taken and held by Hamas for years.

In 2014, the Israeli military confirmed his death based on evidence recovered from the tunnel, including a blood-soaked shirt and religious items. Earlier this year, the military retrieved the body of another soldier killed in the same war.

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Human Impact and Family Advocacy

Goldin’s family has campaigned tirelessly for his return, marking over 4,000 days since his body was taken. The release represents not only closure for his parents but also a symbolic step in broader negotiations for hostages and remains in Gaza.

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Key Takeaways

• Hamas will return the body of Hadar Goldin, killed in 2014, marking the only pre-2023-war Israeli body still held in Gaza.
• Goldin’s remains were discovered in a Rafah tunnel, southern Gaza.
• Israel emphasizes that no negotiations will tie the body’s release to other prisoner exchanges.
• The return is part of a U.S.-brokered truce, during which 23 Israeli hostages have been released.
• Forensic authorities report 300 Palestinian remains returned, with 89 identified.
• Goldin’s return provides closure for his family after more than 11 years.