Hadar Goldin, Oron Shaul
Hadar Goldin, Oron ShaulFlash 90

Some 3,000 people attended an event Wednesday evening in the northern Israeli city of Tiberias, marking 3 years since the murder and kidnapping of IDF soldier Oron Shaul by Hamas terrorists in Gaza.

During the battle, Shaul had left his armored personnel carrier to repair a broken part when the vehicle was fired on by Hamas terrorists.

Shaul’s body was taken by Hamas to be used, along with the body of soldier Hadar Goldin, as a bargaining chip for future prisoner swap agreements with Israel. While the IDF has defined Shaul as “dead, with burial place unknown,” Shaul’s mother Zehava has refused to conclusively accept this definition.

Speaking to the crowd at tonight’s event, Zehava suggested that her son may still be alive. “The whole nation of Israel needs to hear and internalize: Oron was not in the armored carrier [when it was fired upon] - Oron was kidnapped. He is in the hands of Hamas, and we don’t know what his status is.”

“3 years have passed since the explosion of the armored carrier in which 6 fighters were killed, my son’s friends. Here it must be brought to your attention: My son Oron was not in the vehicle. He was outside of it and fought with Hamas and was kidnapped through one of the tunnels. He was not in the vehicle when it exploded.”

Zehava called on Israeli leadership to do all in its power to return her son. “I turn to the defense establishment, to the IDF, to the government of Israel and he who stands at its head, to every minister and MK - you are the public representatives. Fulfill your obligation to the soldiers whom you send into battle, show them that they are not abandoned, prove this by returning my son Oron, who went out to protect each and every one of us.”

“Friends! 3 years is enough! Bring my son Oron back home, and his brothers and me back to life.”