After eleven long years, the mystery surrounding the whereabouts of fallen IDF officer Hadar Goldin, Hy”d, has finally come to an end — thanks to what security sources are calling “the golden piece of intelligence” that shattered Hamas’s resistance and forced the terror organization to return his remains to Israel.
According to a report that aired overnight on Channel 12 News, Israeli intelligence services succeeded in reaching an individual who knew the precise location of Goldin’s burial site in Rafah. This breakthrough, achieved after a lengthy and complex intelligence-gathering operation combined with on-the-ground efforts by IDF combat units, left Hamas with no room to maneuver. Realizing that Israel had pinpointed the site, Hamas understood it could no longer conceal the truth or delay his return.
Hadar Goldin had been held deep within a network of tunnels in Rafah, known to the IDF as the “White Sparrow” system. For months, Division 162, under the command of Brigadier General Itzik Cohen, fought intense battles in the area. Soldiers operated just a few dozen meters from the spot where Goldin was hidden, drilling and digging through tunnels filled with armed terrorists. Despite their relentless efforts, they were unable to find him at the time. Brig. Gen. Cohen, who had once personally commanded Hadar, finally saw the mission come full circle with the discovery and repatriation of his soldier’s remains.
Channel 12 further reported that the final stages of the recovery were marked by intense diplomatic pressure. Turkish officials had urged Hamas not to yield to Israeli demands and to refuse the transfer until the safe evacuation of Hamas operatives trapped in Rafah’s tunnels could be guaranteed. However, the United States exerted counterpressure on Hamas, insisting on the return of the fallen Israeli officer. Ultimately, American influence prevailed, and under the weight of both diplomatic and military circumstances, Hamas relented.
Yesterday, Hadar Goldin’s comrades stood solemnly as his remains crossed back into Israeli territory, bringing closure to a national saga that had spanned more than a decade. What began as a tragedy in the tunnels of Rafah has now concluded with his long-awaited return to a Jewish burial — a moment of bittersweet vindication for his family, comrades, and an entire nation that never stopped searching.
{Matzav.com}
