Leah and Simcha Goldin, the parents of Lieutenant Hadar Goldin whose body has been held by Hamas in Gaza since Operation Protective Edge in 2014, sharply criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following reports that their son was not included in the hostage release deal with Hamas.
The couple criticized the release of dozens of terrorists in the Shalit deal, many of whom were later re-arrested. They explained that they had been told that the prisoners released in the Shalit deal, who were re-arrested and imprisoned in Israel, would only be released in exchange for the bodies of their son and of Oron Shaul.
The Goldins wrote, "For 10 years, it was made clear to us that the released Shalit deal prisoners, who were returned to prison during Operation Protective Edge, would not be released, except in exchange for Hadar and Oron."
They added, "Now Netanyahu is releasing the terrorists who were returned to prison but is not returning Hadar and Oron. For us, Hadar and Oron have been abandoned for good. Hamas cares for its terrorists more than Netanyahu cares for his soldiers. Benjamin, not Yoni."