Simcha Goldin, whose son Hadar was killed and his body captured in 2014's Operation Protective Edge, urged Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu not to miss the chance to bring his son's body home for burial.
Responding to Hamas' statement that their "offer" is still open and to reports that Israel is holding negotiations with the terror group, Goldin said: "We demand that Prime Minister Netanyahu not miss the opportunity which exists now to bring my son and Oron Shaul back from the battlefield, and to bring back the civilians, Avera and Hisham."
"I demand that Hadar's commander today - IDF Chief of Staff Kochavi - act so that by Memorial Day, the operation will be complete. I demand that my son's commander in Protective Edge, former IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz, bring home the soldiers who were left behind in Gaza.
"This is how we were educated, this is how I educated, and this is the only way that the IDF will continue to be the 'people's army.' Only this way will Israeli society a place...of mutual responsibility. The Prime Minister and the Chief of Staff must act on their responsibility and authority, and bring the soldiers and civilians who are in the hands of Hamas."
Goldin also explained that the current coronavirus pandemic offers the perfect opportunity to negotiate with Hamas.
"Coronavirus has created a new situation in which Hamas needs us to help them manage the plague. Not returning the soldiers and civilians is a blatantly anti-humanitarian act on the part of Hamas. It is unthinkable that Israel will act in a humanitarian fashion [towards Hamas] while Hamas continues holding our soldiers and civilians captive," he said.