The parents of IDF soldier Hadar Goldin, who was killed when Hamas violated a United Nations-brokered ceasefire during 2014's Operation Protective Edge, have returned from a trip to the US, News 13 reported.
The Hamas terror group has held Goldin's body since they killed him, defying Red Cross orders to return his body and that of IDF soldier Oron Shaul, who was also killed during Protective Edge, to their families.
During their trip, Goldin's parents, Leah and Simcha, met with US Special Envoy to the Middle East Jason Greenblatt, who promised to deal with the issue and said he may include it in US President Donald Trump's "deal of the century."
Greenblatt is one of the officials in charge of Trump's peace plan.
"When the demand comes from the US, it will reach all the countries with initiatives in Gaza - the donor countries in Europe, Qatar, and Egypt. This is our opportunity to bring Hadar back, and to make a deal which includes a humanitarian action in exchange for humanitarian action," they told News 13.
However, Hadar's parents emphasized that the US initiative does not absolve Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu of responsibility. According to them, Netanyahu is not working hard enough. In their eyes, whoever wins Israel's upcoming elections has a responsibility to return the bodies of both soldiers to Israel.
"All the central figures in Israeli politics were there when Hadar was killed," Simcha said. "[Blue and White leader MK Benny] Gantz was IDF Chief of Staff. [Blue and White leader MK Moshe] Ya'alon was Defense Minister. [Yamina leader Rabbi Rafi] Peretz was the IDF Chief Rabbi. [Blue and White leader MK Yair] Lapid, [Yamina leader Naftali] Bennett, and [Yisrael Beytenu chairman MK Avigdor] Liberman were members of the Cabinet. They need to get organized now, together."
US Special Envoy to the Middle East Jason Greenblatt tweeted: "This week I met with the family of IDF soldier Hadar Goldin who – along with Oron Shaul - is cruelly held by Hamas as a bargaining chip. Hamas must return Hadar & Oron as well as imprisoned Israeli civilians Avraham Mengistu & Hisham al-Sayed."
US Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Elan Carr tweeted: "Five years ago this month, Hamas violated a UN-brokered ceasefire by killing three IDF soldiers in Gaza. For the past half-decade, Hamas has continued its heinous act by refusing to release the body of Lieutenant HadarGoldin."
"I met with Hadar’s parents, together with our great StateSPEHA RobertCobrien. Preventing parents from giving their son a Jewish burial is anti-Semitism, pure and simple, and a moral outrage. Hamas: END THIS CRIME NOW AND SEND HADAR BACK HOME TO HIS FAMILY!"