Hadar Goldin was killed during Operation Protective Edge last year. Yet parts of the Israeli soldier’s body are still being held by Hamas — and the fight over them shows no sign of ending.
The determination that the Israeli infantry officer thought to have been captured is in fact dead has changed the trajectory of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, Operation Protective Edge, which now appears to be winding down.
This was posted this morning at Haaretz in Hebrew by Niv Shtendel, an Israeli blogger, filmmaker, author, film and television critic for Haaretz and Maariv. It describes his experience of — and impressions of — Operation Protective Edge as a middle-aged reservist called up to the front. My translation, so any mistakes are mine alone. (Hat tip to Chemi Shalev for posting it on Facebook.)
Thousands attended the funeral of Lt. Hadar Goldin, killed in action in Gaza, in the military section of the Kfar Sava cemetery on Sunday.
Israel Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon tweeted out condolences to the family of Hadar Goldin, the IDF solider who was killed in action on Friday.
Hamas claimed responsibility on Saturday for a deadly Gaza Strip ambush in which an Israeli army officer may have been captured, but said the incident likely preceded and therefore had not violated a U.S.- and U.N.-sponsored truce.
Hamas may have scored a key victory by apparently capturing Israeli soldier Hadar Goldin. What happens next may determine the course of the Gaza conflict.
The apparent capture of Hadar Goldin may change the course of the Gaza war. But Israel’s leaders must not make decisions out of anger or fear for his safety.
Hadar Goldin got engaged just a few weeks before being sent into Gaza by Operation Protective Edge. Now authorities fear that he was captured by…