Report: Zamir suggests conditioning safe passage of Hamas operatives out of IDF-held areas on return of Hadar Goldin’s body

By Emanuel Fabian

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4 November 2025, 8:29 pm

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Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir reportedly tells political officials that he will only recommend allowing the estimated 200 trapped Hamas operatives in southern Gaza’s Rafah — which is under Israeli control — to return to Hamas-held areas of the Strip, if the terror group returns the body of Lt. Hadar Goldin.

Goldin was killed during the 2014 Gaza War, and his body was abducted by Hamas.

“No terrorist will leave Rafah alive. I am willing to consider the release of terrorists [from Rafah], on one condition — returning Hadar Goldin. Otherwise, no terrorist will leave Rafah alive,” Channel 12 news cites Zamir as telling Israel’s political echelon.