Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Sunday that the body of missing IDF soldier TTzvi Feldman, who fell in the Battle of Sultan Yaqoub during the First Lebanon War in June 1982, was returned to Israel in a special operation by the Mossad and the IDF in Syria.
Prime Minister Netanyahu arrived at the Feldman family home in Tel Aviv along with his military secretary in order to personally inform the family of his return to Israel after 43 years.
Feldman was killed in the Battle of Sultan Yaqoub in the First Lebanon War in 1982, and was considered missing for about 43 years. 20 IDF soldiers were killed in the battle, and about 30 more were wounded.
The Mossad and IDF stated in a joint announcement, "The return of Sergeant First Class TTzvika Feldman to Israel was conducted through a complex and covert operation, enabled by precise intelligence and the application of operational capabilities that demonstrated ingenuity and steadfast courage."
"This marked the completion of an extensive intelligence and operational effort that spanned over four decades, carried out through close cooperation and joint work between the Missing Persons and Hostages coordinators in the Prime Minister’s Office, the intelligence and operational units of the Mossad and IDF’s Intelligence Directorate, along with the ISA and the IDF's Personnel Directorate.
"This operation brings long-awaited closure, following a previous operation in which Sergeant First Class Zechariah Baumel was returned in 2019, made possible through research efforts, intelligence gathering, and numerous operations conducted in enemy territory.
"The family of the missing soldier, Sergeant First Class Yehuda Katz, was informed about the return of Sergeant First Class TTzvika Feldman, along with updates on the ongoing efforts to locate their loved one.
"The Israeli defense establishment will continue to operate tirelessly, day and night, with deep commitment to bringing home all of our sons and daughters, whether living, fallen, missing, or abducted, back to Israel."
Netanyahu stated, "In a special Mossad and IDF operation, we have returned home the body of Sgt. First Class TTzvi Feldman, who fell in the Battle of Sultan Yacob in June 1942 during the First Lebanon War. For decades TTzvika has been missing and the efforts to locate him, as well as the other MIAs from the same battle, have not ceased."
"Approximately six years ago, we returned for a Jewish burial, Sgt. First Class Zecharia Baumel; today we have returned TTzvika, of blessed memory. We will not cease our efforts to return Sgt. First Class Yehuda Katz, who is also an MIA from the same battle," he said.
He added, "For many years, I have approved many secret operations to locate the MIAs from Sultan Yacoub, and I promised the Feldman family that I would not stop taking action to bring TTzvi back home. The dear parents, Pnina and Avraham did not cease their efforts on the issue; unfortunately they have passed on. We return dear TTzvika to you – Itzik, Shlomo and Anat – to you and to the soil of the Land of Israel he so loved.
"I would like to thank the Mossad, the IDF, the ISA and Coordinator for the Hostages and the Missing, Brig.-Gen. (Res.) Gal Hirsch, for decades of determined and courageous efforts of the highest order to return TTzvika and all of our missing and our hostages, the living and the deceased alike. The State of Israel and the Government of Israel under my leadership are fully committed to this.
Netanyahu concluded his remarks with a Biblical quote, "In the words of the prophet Jeremiah (31:16; 'There is hope for the future says the Lord, and your children shall return to their own border.'"