Red Cross convoy carrying what Hamas claims is the remains of an Israeli soldier who was killed in Gaza in 2014 and whose body has been held in Gaza since. makes its way toward the border crossing with Israel, to be transferred to Israeli authorities, in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip. AP
Hamas said it found the remains of Hadar Goldin in a tunnel in the southern city of Rafah on Saturday. Goldin was killed on Aug. 1, 2014, two hours after a ceasefire took effect during that year’s Israeli war on Gaza.
“Israel believes the remains now in our hands are of Lt. Hadar Goldin,” Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian said, but emphasized that forensic confirmation was needed. That could come within hours.
The Red Cross transferred the body to the Israeli military inside Gaza. It was taken to the national forensic institute in Tel Aviv, where it was identified as Goldin’s.
Four captives now remain in Gaza.
Israeli media, citing anonymous officials, previously reported that Hamas was delaying the release of Goldin's body in hopes of negotiating safe passage for more than 100 fighters surrounded by Israeli forces and trapped in Rafah.
Gila Gamliel, Israel’s minister of innovation, science and technology, told Army Radio that Israel was not negotiating for a “deal within a deal.”
“There are agreements whose implementation is guaranteed by the mediators, and we shouldn't allow anyone to come now and play (games) and to reopen the agreement,” she said.
Hamas made no comment on a possible exchange for its fighters stuck in the so-called yellow zone, which is controlled by Israeli forces, though they acknowledged that clashes were taking place there.
Palestinians' remains
Since the ceasefire began on Oct. 10, Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza have released the remains of 23 captives. Under the truce deal, they are expected to return the remains of all captives.
For every Israeli captive returned, Israel has released the remains of 15 Palestinians. Ahmed Dheir, director of forensic medicine at Nasser Hospital in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, said 300 bodies have so far been returned, 89 of which have been identified.
Many of the bodies show signs of torture and were delivered in body bags with their hands and feet bound, causing deep anguish among families and making identification increasingly difficult.
On Saturday, Gaza’s Health Ministry said the number of Palestinians killed in Israel’s war on Gaza had risen to 69,176, most of them women and children, with more than 170,000 others wounded. Thousands more, killed in Israeli bombardments, are believed to be buried beneath the rubble.
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