Zehava Shaul, Mother of Fallen Golani Soldier Oron Shaul, Passes Away

Zehava Shaul, mother of Staff Sergeant Oron Shaul of the Golani Brigade, has died a year and a half after her son's body was recovered from Gaza and buried in Poria Illit. Oron Shaul was captured during the 2014 Operation Protective Edge and held by Hamas for a decade before being returned to Israel in a special IDF and Shin Bet operation named "Operation Return to Us" in January 2025. Zehava Shaul and her family led a persistent public and political campaign for the return of Oron's remains, which were held as a bargaining chip by Hamas. Oron's father, Herzl Shaul, who passed away in 2016, did not live to see his son's body returned. Oron Shaul was born on December 27, 1993, served as a Golani fighter, and was posthumously awarded a President's Citation shortly before his death. He was killed on July 20, 2014, during the battle of Shuja'iyya when his armored personnel carrier was hit by an anti-tank missile, along with six other soldiers. Zehava Shaul's funeral arrangements have not yet been announced but are expected to take place in Poria Illit, where Oron is buried. She is survived by two sons.