Hamas claims discovery of Hadar Goldin’s remains in Rafah

Goldin, an officer in the Givati Brigade, was killed on August 1, 2014, shortly after a humanitarian ceasefire went into effect.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Hamas announced Saturday that it had located the body of Israeli soldier Lt. Hadar Goldin in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, nearly eleven years after he was killed and abducted during the 2014 Gaza war.

The claim was reported by Al Jazeera, which aired footage showing a body bag marked with Goldin’s name. Israel has not confirmed the report, and Hamas has made no statement regarding the possible return of the remains.

According to a senior source within the group, six additional bodies, most likely Hamas terrorists, were discovered near the site where Goldin’s remains were allegedly found.

Israeli officials have not verified any of these claims, emphasizing that the reports have yet to be substantiated by official channels.

Goldin, an officer in the Givati Brigade, was killed on August 1, 2014, shortly after a humanitarian ceasefire went into effect.

Hamas terrorists emerged from a tunnel in Rafah and attacked his unit, killing three soldiers and seizing Goldin’s body before retreating underground.

His remains have been held in Gaza since then, and efforts to secure their return have been ongoing for years.

Recent days have seen intensified searches in Rafah’s Jenina neighborhood, where the Red Cross and Hamas members reportedly scoured an area believed to contain the bodies of Israeli hostages.

The neighborhood lies within territory now controlled by the Israel Defense Forces, which estimate that around 150 Hamas operatives remain trapped in a network of tunnels beneath it.

Earlier this week, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir advised government leaders that any agreement allowing safe passage for the trapped terrorists should depend on Hamas releasing Goldin’s remains. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has firmly opposed granting such passage.

US officials have pressed Israel to consider limited humanitarian access to advance a broader ceasefire framework tied to President Donald Trump’s regional plan.

Following the Al Jazeera broadcast, the IDF stated that it possesses “no information indicating that Hadar Goldin’s body is located in a Rafah tunnel,” calling the reports inaccurate and harmful to the Goldin family. The military stressed that any verified updates on hostages or fallen soldiers will come directly from official Israeli sources.