Victim’s family: Hold Gaza gunmen’s bodies until son’s remains returned

The family of slain soldier Lt. Hadar Goldin called on the government not to release bodies of Gaza gunmen killed on Friday until their son’s body and that of Oron Shaul are returned.

By: Steve Leibowitz, World Israel News

Reports that Israel is holding the bodies of two Hamas terrorists killed in clashes with IDF soldiers on Friday, has prompted demands that the bodies be held as bargaining chips to secure the remains of Israeli soldiers Lt. Hadar Goldin and Sgt. Oron Shaul. The remains of the two soldiers have been held by Hamas terrorists in Gaza since the 2014 war.

Goldin’s father Simcha said, “Israel has to use the bodies as a bargaining chip with Hamas and hold onto them until a solution has been found and the soldiers are returned.” Hamas is also holding two live, apparently mentally ill Israeli civilians, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, who entered Gaza volultarily in 2014 and 2015, respectively.

The family of Mengistu today launched a tent protest outside the Prime Minister’s residence in Jerusalem, calling on the government to bring Abera back from Hamas captivity.

The Goldin family contacted the government’s point person for return of the two soldier’s bodies Yaron Blum, and Israel’s military coordinator to the Palestinians, Maj. Gen. Yoav Mordechai. The family is demanding that the government abide by a decision it passed last year, barring the return of terrorist’s bodies to their families as long as the soldier’s remains are not returned.

The IDF identified a number of those killed during the Gaza riot on Friday as Hamas members. One of the Hamas terrorists who shot at Israeli soldiers on Friday evening was identified as 23-year-old Mussa’b al-Saloul. The Palestinian media claims that Israeli soldiers retrieved the bodies of two gunmen who opened fire on Israeli forces on Friday, and claim the remains are being held by Israeli authorities.