“Look closely at this people and this family standing here today. The family of Israel is not to be messed with. We bring everyone home.”
By The IDF Club
Thousands gathered in Kfar Saba on Monday to accompany Lt. Hadar Goldin on his final journey — 4,120 days after he fell in battle and was taken into a Gaza tunnel during Operation Protective Edge. Eleven years later, the soldier whose name became a symbol of Israel’s moral strength was finally laid to rest in the land he gave his life to defend.
Hadar Goldin’s story is one of courage, leadership, and unwavering faith. A proud officer in the IDF’s Givati Brigade, he earned his place in the elite reconnaissance battalion through grit and determination. Known among his comrades for his humility and his fierce sense of responsibility, Hadar rose to command a team — fulfilling his dream to lead in one of the IDF’s most demanding units.
On August 1, 2014, during what was meant to be a 72-hour ceasefire, Hamas violated the truce within the first hour, launching rockets and mortars toward Israeli communities near the Gaza border. At 9:05 a.m., Hadar’s unit came under fire near Rafah.
Terrorists emerged from a tunnel, ambushing the Givati reconnaissance team and killing three soldiers — Hadar, Maj. Benaya Sarel, and Staff Sgt. Liel Gidoni. In the chaos, Hadar was dragged into the tunnel. The IDF immediately initiated the “Hannibal Directive,” unleashing heavy fire in an effort to prevent his captors from escaping. For three days, Givati forces scoured the area under intense combat, refusing to abandon the search for their brother-in-arms.
At Monday’s funeral, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir paid tribute to Goldin’s legacy of duty and valor. “An entire nation stands today as one great formation of Hadar,” Zamir said before a sea of mourners. “We accompany him on his final path — a path he was worthy of long ago. The IDF never gave up for a moment. Hadar’s return was made possible through the operational might of our forces. I pledge that we will continue to uphold this sacred duty.”
Zamir concluded with words that resonated across the cemetery: “The circle is closed. Operation Protective Edge has ended. Rest in peace, Hadar. The path of righteousness you left behind will continue to guide us, with your image engraved on the nation’s heart.”
Hadar’s parents, Simcha and Leah Goldin, who led a decade-long public campaign to bring their son home, spoke with the same quiet strength their son embodied. “Hadar was unique in his way — he touched people,” his father said. “If we live by his example, we will lift the people of Israel to a higher level.” Leah, recalling a letter her son had written as a teenager, read his words: “We strive for greatness, but in reality we see darkness. We must begin to work, to gather rays of light, and slowly reach our goal.” Her voice broke as she ended simply: “You know that I love you. Rest in peace, my son.”
From the podium, Hadar’s siblings continued the family’s legacy of faith and defiance. His brother Hemi turned his gaze southward. “To the vile creatures there, who call themselves Hamas — you are made of mud and filth. Look closely at this people and this family standing here today. The family of Israel is not to be messed with. We bring everyone home.”
His sister Ayelet, addressing the soldiers who helped recover his remains, said, “You brought my brother back. Not Hamas — you. ‘Thank you’ feels too small; we need a new language for gratitude.” His brother Tzur spoke of the deeper battle Israel continues to fight: “Hamas’s kidnapping terror is aimed not only at soldiers but at our families, to break Israeli society from within. Our victory in this war will be when the title of Israeli society is clear: we never abandon one another.”
As the funeral came to a close, the crowd rose together as Hatikva was sung. The familiar anthem echoed through the cemetery — a powerful reminder that the hope of the Jewish people endures through sacrifice, through courage, and through heroes like Lt. Hadar Goldin.
After eleven long years, Hadar returned home — not just to rest, but to remind his nation of the values he lived and died for: strength, humility, and love of Israel. His name will remain a guiding light for generations of soldiers who wear the uniform with pride, carrying forward the same spirit that defined him — the spirit of the Israel Defense Forces.
