Goldin family: IDF chief said body could be back in a week if gov’t willed it

The parents of an Israeli soldier whose remains are being held in the Gaza Strip on Saturday said the IDF chief of staff had told them the Israeli government could see their son’s body returned within a week if it willed it.

IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot on Saturday night swiftly denied the comments attributed to him by the Goldin family, saying the quotes were “highly selective.”

Since 2014, the Goldin family has been lobbying the Israeli government to return the remains of their son, Lt. Hadar Goldin, who was killed during the 50-day Operation Protective Edge and whose body is believed held by the Hamas terrorist group. The terror organization is also believed to be holding the body of IDF soldier Oron Shaul, who was also killed during the conflict between Hamas and Israel four years ago.

Two other live Israeli civilians — Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, both of whom are reported to be mentally unstable — are also said to be in Hamas custody after crossing into the Strip of their own accord several years ago.

“During the meeting [on Friday], the IDF chief said, ‘We must stop all projects with Israel until the soldiers and civilians are returned. All [shipments] must be halted, apart from water, food, sewage, and medications,'” a statement from the Goldin family quoted Eisenkot as saying.

“Eisenkot also emphasized that if the political echelon willed it — the boys could be brought home in a week,” the statement continued.

“From this difficult meeting, we concluded that the prime minster does not want to bring back the soldiers to Israel,” the Goldins said.

They also implored Israelis to protest to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman against any long-term Gaza ceasefire deal that does not include the immediate release of the bodies.

In a statement from the Israel Defense Forces, the military confirmed Eisenkot met with the Goldins on Friday, “as he is accustomed to doing from time to time.”

“The comments that were released from the meeting are highly selective and do not represent the statements that were said during the meeting,” the army said. “During the meeting, the IDF chief presented the IDF’s position, as it has consistently been brought before political leaders in closed talks, and which hasn’t changed in the past few years.”

“The IDF is working tirelessly to return the captives and missing persons to Israel and will continue to do so,” it said.

The exchange came as reports emerged that Israel and Hamas were nearing a long-term ceasefire deal in Gaza.

According to an unconfirmed report by Lebanon’s Al-Akbar newspaper Saturday, the deal will last three years and see a significant easing of the blockade on the Hamas-controlled territory. According to the report, the deal being brokered by Egypt stipulates a gradual stop to the ongoing, Hamas-orchestrated violent border protests and maritime flotillas over the next two months. In addition, Hamas will be obligated to punish Gazans caught engaging in violent demonstrating along the border with Israel.

In return, Egypt will permanently open its Rafah border crossing and lift 70 percent of its blockade on the Hamas-controlled territory, the report said, citing officials familiar with the emerging agreement. Al-Akbar said the deal would require Israel to grant 5,000 work permits for Gazans, and expand the Strip’s fishing zone from nine to 14 nautical miles.

The emerging truce deal, as reported, appears to exclude an Israeli demand that the soldiers’ remains and live Israeli captives be immediately freed.

Since the 2014 death of their son in combat, the Goldins have clashed frequently with the government, accusing Netanyahu of failing to do enough to return their son’s remains to Israel for a full burial.

Goldin was part of a team of Israeli soldiers in the southern Gaza Strip on August 1, 2014, trying to find and destroy attack tunnels. A 72-hour humanitarian ceasefire had been declared that morning, and as a result, Israel says Goldin’s team was prohibited from using weapons during their search except in the case of immediate danger to their lives. According to Israel’s military, the soldiers came under fire from Gaza gunmen who killed Goldin and took his body into a tunnel. Two other soldiers were also killed.

Shaul was killed on July 20, 2014 when Hamas operatives fired an anti-tank missile at a 1970s-model armored personnel carrier stalled in a narrow street in Gaza. Six troops were killed and Hamas claimed to have kidnapped Shaul.