Israel Former Hamas hostages demand return of remaining bodies
At a rally in Israel, former hostages of the Islamist terrorist organization Hamas have demanded the return of all the bodies of abductees still remaining in the Gaza Strip.
09.11.2025, 05:01
SDA
Shortly beforehand, the Arabic broadcaster Al-Jazeera had reported, citing a senior source in the ranks of the Qassam Brigades - Hamas' military arm - that the remains of Hadar Goldin, a soldier kidnapped by Hamas in 2014, had been found in the south of the coastal strip. The Jerusalem Post then quoted a statement from his relatives: "A whole country is waiting for Hadar to be returned to us."
The then 23-year-old soldier was captured by Hamas fighters near the city of Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip in August 2014 during a ceasefire in the then Gaza war. It is not known exactly what happened to him afterwards. Israel's army later declared Goldin dead.
Now, according to Al-Jazeera, Hamas claims to have found the soldier's body in Rafah. There was initially no official statement from Hamas. The Al-Jazeera report also gave no details as to whether and when the body would be transferred to Israel for identification.
Five hostage bodies are still in Gaza
Following the report on the alleged discovery of Goldin's remains, Israel's Chief of Staff Ejal Zamir visited the parents of the slain soldier, according to local media reports. He informed them of the efforts to retrieve the hostages, the family said without giving further details. They are waiting for official confirmation of the return of Goldin's body to Israel, they said.
According to a report by the Israeli broadcaster Channel 12, Hamas allegedly wants to use the soldier's mortal remains as leverage to persuade Israel to allow Hamas fighters in an Israeli army-controlled tunnel under Rafah to leave freely. The ceasefire agreement reached in October requires Hamas to hand over the mortal remains of a total of 28 hostages killed to Israel. Five of the bodies are still in Gaza, including that of Goldin.
According to media reports, the remaining four dead are three Israelis and a Thai national, all of whom were abducted in the Gaza Strip after the terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas and other extremist groups on October 7, 2023. At the time, around 1,200 people were killed in Israel and more than 250 people were abducted to the neighboring coastal area. The unprecedented massacre triggered the Gaza war between Israel and Hamas.
Thousands demand the return of the bodies
At a rally in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv that evening, recently released Hamas hostages made emotional speeches demanding the return of the remaining bodies. "It's time to get everyone out who was left behind in Gaza," said Rom Braslavski, one of 20 hostages released on October 13 as part of a ceasefire agreement. "Even if it takes 20 to 30 years, we will continue to fight for everyone."
Thousands of people joined the rally in "Hostages' Square". According to the forum of the hostages' relatives, five surviving hostages were among them. One of them, Nimrod Cohen, is convinced that Hamas knows exactly where the remains of the other hostages are. "Every day that passes is another day that one of them could disappear forever," the Times of Israel quoted him as saying.
Reports of cruel torture
As he went through "hell" in the tunnels of Gaza, his captors had repeatedly said "that the Israeli people had given up on us. That no one would protest and fight for us," said Cohen. But on the day of his return, he realized that these were all lies.
At the rally, the brother of a hostage who had been killed called for the ceasefire agreement to be implemented. He had come to "Hostages' Square" to demand the basic right to say goodbye to his brother Dror, whose body is still in Gaza - and to honor him, said Elad Or. "Israel needs Dror - all of them - at home."
The hostages had been held - some for more than two years - in cruel conditions. After their release, some reported torture and other severe abuse, hunger and terrible hygienic conditions. As part of the ceasefire agreement, Israel has undertaken to hand over the mortal remains of 15 Gaza Strip residents killed for every body handed over by Hamas to the authorities there.
