Dr. Leah Goldin, the mother of IDF Lieutenant Hadar Goldin, attended a special annual UN Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva, Switzerland on Monday.
Speaking at the conference, Goldin called on the Council member countries to act on UN Resolution 2474, which was adopted in June, to change their policy towards Gaza and to work to secure the return of the Israeli soldiers and civilians held by the Hamas terrorist organization in Gaza.
"My name is Leah Goldin. I am the mother of Lieutenant Hadar Goldin, a proud soldier in the Israeli Defense Forces. Hadar was 23 when he was killed and kidnapped. He was a talented artist who became engaged and was about to marry the love of his life, Edna, in the summer of 2014. But that month, an hour after the beginning of A UN-sponsored humanitarian ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, Hamas terrorists exited the Gaza tunnel, ambushed the IDF unit and killed Hadar," Goldin said.
She told of the pain the family has experienced over the last five years. "For five years Hamas has been holding our son, and the soldier, Oron Shaul, and refusing to release them, in flagrant violation of the Geneva Convention and international humanitarian law. For five years Hamas has brutally tortured our family, rejecting any approach of the Red Cross and preventing it from bringing Hadar for proper burial according to the three [monotheistic] religions."
"In June, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 2474, requiring all states to take responsibility for the return of missing prisoners, and instructing UN Special Envoys to implement the resolution. Last month, I met with Secretary-General Guterres, who reiterated that he stands behind this decision and calling for immediate and unconditional release of Hadar is not my task alone - it is a task that you all share with me. I ask the representatives of the Member States of the Council: As mothers and fathers, please imagine, what would you do if it was your son who was being held in Gaza?” Goldin concluded.