Simcha Goldin
Simcha Goldinצילום: שריה דיאמנט/TPS

Leah and Simcha Goldin, parents of IDF Lieutenant Hadar Goldin, killed in action in Gaza during Operation Protective Edge, are calling on Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Bennett not to hand over Qatari money to Hamas this week and put an end to all Israeli gestures of goodwill until Hamas returns the bodies of IDF soldiers and Israeli civilians it is holding captive within the scope of an agreement.

The Goldin family said that "Netanyahu and Bennett are missing out on all the opportunities they've been handed to have Hadar, Oron, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed returned to Israel. How can the government continue its unilateral goodwill gestures toward Hamas while [the terrorist organization] continues imprisoning Israeli soldiers and civilians?!"

On February 27th, Simcha Goldin attacked the Israeli government for not doing enough to ensure the return of his son's body. He told an audience how his family had lost trust in the state. "Our [leaders hold three elections] but do nothing to bring back Hadar, Oron and Avera Mengistu (a psychologically-unstable Ethiopian immigrant who crossed into Gaza in 2014 and is reportedly being held hostage by Hamas)."

He continued: "Does anyone know how a thousand Gazans come to work in Israel [every day] but my son's [remains can't be taken out]? How is it that Israel is helping Hamas build a hospital but Avera Mengistu hasn't had medicine delivered to him in five and a half years? In life you can choose to focus on yourself or you can get big things done. Remember this today. We're going to [change] history."

He addressed the chief of staff, saying, "Sir, you are missing two soldiers. Soon new recruits will be called up to the Givati ​​and Golani brigades, and their parents need to know that when they go to battle they will come home."