Family of Missing Soldier: Why Are We Returning a Terrorist’s Remains?

The family of missing IDF soldier Hadar Goldin slammed Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and State Attorney Avichai Mandelblit for authorizing the release of the remains of a terrorist shot and killed last year by IDF soldiers. The release of the remains of Amiad Halil Ibrahim Shaheen contradicts previous decisions of the government not to release the remains of terrorists until missing IDF soldiers are returned home, the family said.

Also criticizing the decision was MK Alex Kushner (Yisrael Beytenu) who demanded that Netanyahu explain why Israel was returning the terrorist’s remains without getting anything in return from Hamas.

Commenting on the matter at Sunday’s Cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said that “we will continue to take all steps possible to bring our missing soldiers back home.” The Prime Minister said that he relied on staff responsible for bringing the soldiers home that they were doing everything possible to accomplish that.

That decision was made in January 2017, based on an order from the High Court not to transfer the bodies of terrorists until Israelis held by Hamas in Gaza were returned home. Missing in Gaza are IDF soldiers Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul, who were captured by Hamas in 2014’s Operation Protective Edge, as well as civilians Avram Mengistu and Hisham Shabin a-Seid. Goldin and Shaul are presumed dead, and Hamas has been holding their remains hostage.

Shaheen’s remains were returned to Gaza last week. The 17-year-old terrorist was shot and killed about a year ago along with two other Gaza terrorists as they attempted to enter Israel at the Gaza border fence. The three were carrying weapons and were on their way to carry out a terror attack. He was buried in a mass funeral in Gaza.