Police free 5 suspects arrested over disappearance of IDF soldier nearly 2 decades ago

24 January 2026, 12:51 am

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Guy Hever at 17. The 20-year-old soldier exited a guard post on the Golan Heights and vanished without a trace. (Courtesy of Rina Hever)

Police have released five suspects without charge after they were arrested last month on suspicion of involvement in the disappearance of missing IDF soldier Guy Hever, according to Hebrew media outlets.

A court had previously issued a sweeping gag order on publishing details on the three-decade-old case, with reports claiming there had been a “dramatic breakthrough” in the investigation.

In August 1997, Hever, a sergeant, left his post on a base in the Golan Heights carrying only his rifle. The base, Camp Thunder, was less than 23 kilometers (14 miles) from the Syrian border.

No trace of Hever has ever been found, and the case remains one of Israel’s most confounding mysteries.