One Year Since Hadar Goldin's Return: Arrest Led to Location, Tunnel Sealed
Translated & summarized from Mako by baba
Israel is commemorating one year since the return of Second Lieutenant Hadar Goldin's body after 11 years in Hamas captivity. The military revealed that the arrest of terrorist Marwan Alhametz in July 2025 led to the discovery of the tunnel where Goldin was buried in Rafah. The extensive 16-kilometer tunnel network, located 30 meters underground, was sealed with concrete, and the abduction shaft was destroyed.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Israel marks one year since the return of Second Lieutenant Hadar Goldin's body after 11 years in Hamas captivity.
- Terrorist Marwan Alhametz was arrested in July 2025, suspected of knowing Goldin's burial location.
- IDF forces uncovered a 16-kilometer tunnel network in Rafah where Goldin was held 30 meters underground.
- The tunnel system, used by senior Hamas commanders, passed under sensitive civilian areas.
- The tunnel was sealed with over 30,000 cubic meters of concrete, and the abduction shaft was destroyed.
Israel is marking one year since the return of Second Lieutenant Hadar Goldin, who was held by Hamas for 11 years after falling in battle during Operation Protective Edge on August 1, 2014. His body was returned to Israel on November 9, 2025. The military revealed details of the arrest of terrorist Marwan Alhametz, who is suspected of knowing Goldin's burial location in a tunnel in Rafah.
In July 2025, Alhametz was arrested in a special operation. He is believed to have known the location of Goldin's burial in the "Dror Lavan" tunnel. This arrest was part of covert operations aimed at returning Goldin's body.
IDF forces uncovered a complex underground tunnel system in southern Rafah, over 10 kilometers long, where Goldin was held. The deepest level of the tunnel was 30 meters below ground. The system, which included three levels, passed under sensitive civilian areas like schools and UNRWA facilities. Approximately 80 rooms within the tunnel served senior Hamas commanders for resting and planning terror attacks.
Hours after Goldin's body was returned in November 2025, the Nahal Brigade's combat team destroyed the shaft from which he was abducted. In late June 2026, elite Yahalom and Shayetet 13 units sealed the extensive tunnel network, spanning over 16 kilometers, using more than 30,000 cubic meters of concrete.
Goldin, who fell at the age of 23, is survived by his parents, sister, and two brothers. His family actively campaigned for his return, criticizing the state's perceived inaction until his body was brought back for burial in Israel. The identification process was completed by the National Center for Forensic Medicine, Israel Police, and the Military Rabbinate on November 9, 2025.
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