Thousands Attend Funeral of Lt. Hadar Goldin in Kfar Saba

Thousands gathered Tuesday at the Kfar Saba military cemetery for the funeral of Lt. Hadar Goldin, whose body was returned to Israel on Sunday after 11 years in Hamas captivity. Goldin, a Givati Brigade officer, was killed and abducted during Operation Protective Edge in August 2014. The funeral marked the end of one of Israel’s most painful chapters. 

Goldin was buried beside his comrades in the city where he was born and raised, as family, soldiers, and public figures stood in silence. His coffin, draped in the Israeli flag, was covered with soil by his parents, siblings, and IDF Chief of Staff. Eyal Zamir before the eulogies began.

“This is the closing of a circle,” said Zamir. “Fighters of the Givati Brigade, comrades of Goldin, you fought alongside him in Operation Protective Edge. You enlisted and fought in the current campaign with bravery. For you, for the entire IDF, and for the country, things have come full circle. Operation Protective Edge has ended.”

Zamir emphasized that the IDF, like Goldin’s family, “never gave up for a moment” on bringing him home. “The return of Hadar is thanks to the operational strength of the IDF and its achievements throughout the campaign,” he said. “Today we accompany Hadar on his final journey, which he has long deserved, after a period in which you, dear family, have become a compass and a conscience for the entire people of Israel.”

Simcha Goldin, Hadar’s father, eulogized his son with a mixture of sorrow and pride. “Through all our tears, always remember Hadar’s smile — we have no choice but to continue his path,” he said. “In Hadar’s prayer book, he wrote: ‘Grant our hearts to see the virtues of our friends and not their flaws.’ Accept Hadar’s words, and apply them to yourselves.”

He continued that over the past 11 years, “we abandoned him in the enemy’s captivity. The nation became addicted to money, honor, and power. We failed to convince Israeli society — until Simchat Torah, October 7. But now Hadar has returned, and there are no more empty graves in Kfar Saba.”

His mother, Leah Goldin, through tears said: “We waited for you for 11 years — that’s a long time. We are here because of all the instructions you left us, because of who you are. I waited for you to jump and say everything is fine. Know that I always loved you.”

Hadar’s twin brother, Tzur, spoke of strength and unity. “The terror of Hamas was meant to break us from inside. Our victory in this war is that all of Israel is here for each other. No one is left behind,” he said. “There is no Tzur without Hadar. Rest in peace. Your story isn’t over. An entire nation brought you home.”

Goldin’s sister Ayelet thanked the IDF and her brother’s comrades for bringing him home. “You brought my little brother — not Hamas, you. Your arms. You gave him the honor he deserved.”